TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (數發部), the government agency overseeing the island's digital transformation, convened a press conference Tuesday (July 15) to introduce draft legislation aimed at accelerating data innovation across the public sector. Officials presented the "Act on Promoting Data Innovation and Utilization" (促進資料創新利用發展條例) alongside plans for a nationally controlled artificial intelligence language database scheduled for release in the year's final quarter. The specialized resource will be accessible to both ordinary citizens and government institutions through an application process.
The comprehensive language repository will incorporate diverse information sources including publicly available government datasets, official policy documents, and various governmental publications. Ministry representatives indicated that the database has been designed with expansion capabilities, allowing for seamless integration of additional linguistic resources as they become available through ongoing data collection efforts.
To address intellectual property concerns surrounding artificial intelligence development, officials are formulating the "Taiwan Sovereign AI Training Data Licensing Terms" (台灣主權AI訓練語料授權條款), a standardized licensing framework that will guide government entities in managing data rights. Multiple institutions have begun cataloging their linguistic resources. These include the Hakka Affairs Council (客委會), which oversees affairs related to Taiwan's Hakka ethnic minority, the Ministry of Education (教育部), the Council of Indigenous Peoples (原民會), responsible for Taiwan's aboriginal communities, and the Ministry of Culture (文化部).
Ming-Fen Chuang (莊明芬), who heads the Department of Data Innovation, provided details about the proposed legislation, highlighting its focus on improving government data quality and facilitating inter-agency information exchange. The initiative includes creating a comprehensive "Basic Plan for the Development of Data Innovation and Utilization" (資料創新利用發展基本計畫) with strategic input from the Executive Yuan's Data Innovation and Utilization Advisory Council (行政院資料創新利用諮詢會), a body within Taiwan's cabinet. Chuang revealed that the reform would mandate the appointment of a "Chief Data Officer" at each governmental level to oversee implementation.