TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Representatives from nearly 140 cities worldwide have converged on Taiwan for the Smart City Summit & Expo (SCSE, 智慧城市展), establishing the island nation as a global hub for urban innovation solutions. The summit addresses critical challenges facing urban centers as over 80 percent of the world's population is projected to live in cities by 2050.
The event has attracted returning delegations eager to tap into Taiwan's expertise in balancing technological advancement with environmental sustainability. Officials are particularly focused on implementing smart technologies that can significantly reduce carbon emissions while enhancing urban living.
Taiwan's AI Leadership in Urban Development
Kaohsiung City's Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) highlighted Taiwan's leadership in artificial intelligence applications for urban environments. "We have been taking the Taiwan sovereign generative AI initiative to lead a way," Lin said. "This is the initiative known as the Kaohsiung sovereign AI project. The name is the Kaohsiung AI Lighthouse programs."
Lin explained that the city has been developing these programs for more than six months, aiming to "enhance urban governance and support industry implications through generative AI solutions." The implementation of AI technologies in urban planning represents a significant shift in how cities address resource management and sustainability challenges. Taiwan's approach has become a model for other urban centers seeking integrated solutions.
As smart city technologies advance, data security remains a paramount concern. Jiunn-Shiow Lin (林俊秀), Director-General of Taiwan's Administration for Digital Industries, outlined the country's approach to this challenge. "We initiated a law to encourage the usage of data without the personal information," Lin explained. "Then another law is, if you want to use personal data, you need to implement data, enhance privacy, enhancing technology."
This dual approach allows for technological innovation while maintaining strict protections for citizens' privacy, addressing one of the most significant concerns in smart city development globally. International delegates have taken note of Taiwan's comprehensive approach. Gábor Kiss, chief advisor on Foreign Affairs to the President of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized the importance of preparation.
"I think our greatest challenge here between governance and government, government and industry, is to be prepared for the new revolution," Kiss said. "This is artificial intelligence, of course, and we need to be very, very careful and very thoughtful about training and reskilling our personnel and taking very good care of their workplaces as well." The summit's significance extends beyond technological showcases. More than 1,000 business matchmaking meetings are taking place, creating partnerships that will influence urban development strategies worldwide.
Steven M. Neuhaus, County Executive of Orange County, New York, underscored the event's global importance. "This is really one of probably the most important conference you can go to in the world right now, to partner up between any other country, as well as United States, and more importantly, with our partners in Taiwan, who have really cornered the market on all these technological advances." As cities globally confront rapid growth alongside climate change concerns, the partnerships formed at the summit are expected to shape resource management, quality of life improvements, and environmental sustainability for generations to come.