TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan has taken a decisive step toward establishing its own artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, moving to reduce dependence on foreign technology giants. Deputy Minister of Digital Affairs Yeh Ning (葉寧) disclosed on Wednesday (May 14) that the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC, 國科會), Taiwan's premier scientific research agency, has allocated NT$40 million (approximately US$1.32 million) to develop a homegrown AI system with nationally controlled data resources. While government databases currently form the foundation of this sovereign AI initiative, officials are actively courting participation from Taiwan's private publishing sector.
The announcement came during questioning at Taiwan's parliament, the Legislative Yuan (立法院), where Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) Legislator Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤) voiced alarm about strategic vulnerabilities in the island's AI strategy. Lee cautioned that continued technological dependence could relegate Taiwan to a subordinate role as hardware manufacturer rather than innovation leader. In response, Deputy Minister Yeh outlined a multi-pronged approach that includes directing capital from Taiwan's National Development Fund toward promising startups while simultaneously building an indigenous data corpus anchored by government information resources.
Opposition legislators from the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, raised additional concerns about the project's implementation. Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) stressed the need for political neutrality in the data collection process, warning that whoever controls the underlying information will shape the AI's outputs and potentially wield outsized influence. Her party colleague Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞) pressed for details on private sector access to the developing database, highlighting the commercial potential and complementary value of corporate data repositories.
Addressing these legislative inquiries, Deputy Minister Yeh confirmed substantial interest from Taiwan's digital publishing industry in participating in the national AI initiative. The digital affairs official projected confidence about establishing effective public-private partnerships to enhance the scope and quality of Taiwan's sovereign AI database, positioning it as a strategic national asset in the increasingly competitive global technology landscape. ◼