Premier Cho Jung-tai pledged Aug. 7 to instill government officials with a deep understanding of artificial intelligence and its potential to build Taiwan into a global technology leader.
Cho made the remarks at a meeting on the topic of AI with deputy heads of ministries and agencies in Taipei City. The event was jointly held by the Executive Yuan’s Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and Taiwan AI Academy.
AI’s applications have expanded to fields such as finance, medical care and disaster prevention, Cho said, praising the Central Weather Administration’s use of AI in meteorological monitoring when Typhoon Gaemi struck Taiwan last month. The government will continue to exchange ideas with academics and business representatives to solve various issues and seek ways to integrate AI into public services, he added.
The premier also elaborated on the government’s plans to build a solid foundation for the country’s AI industry. A program to boost the country’s talent competitiveness was proposed during the first meeting of the EY’s Economic Development Commission last month, Cho said, adding that it would cultivate 200,000 personnel with AI skills within the next eight years while also bringing in more foreign talent.
An act proposed by the National Science and Technology Council to lay the legal groundwork for AI development and use is under public review, Cho said, adding that the EY also approved a plan to advance civil servants’ related knowledge of AI in June and greenlighted the AI Taiwan Action Plan 2.0 last year.
According to Cho, the government’s technology budget is to be increased by 14.9 percent next year, with a total of NT$10 billion (US$306 million) for AI. He added that semiconductors and space communications sectors will receive NT$17 billion and NT$10 billion, respectively.
The MODA additionally announced its plan on the same day that it will hold over 20 AI workshops for the public sector until the end of the year. The curriculum covers AI knowledge, applications, core algorithms and practical operations, the ministry said, adding that the public and civil servants alike can access its online learning resources. (YCH-E)
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