TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng (吳恩達), said that now is a good time for Taiwan to invest in AI.
The AI leader made the comment Wednesday (Sept. 27) when speaking at the Navigating the Future of AI forum, organized by the Taiwan Venture Capital Association (TVCA). Ng, who was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence spoke at the event with Taiwan's Minister of Digital Affairs, Audrey Tang (唐鳳), reported CNA.
Ng said that Taiwan's edge lies in integrating AI applications into already strong sectors like precision manufacturing. This will involve leveraging its hardware ecosystem strength to enhance the software industry.
He said that international cooperation between regions with similar values and goals would be desirable since AI requires substantial financial and computational resources as well as talent. He added that though Taiwan might not consider itself at the forefront of AI deep tech it is not too late for Taiwanese entrepreneurs to enter generative AI.
Ng suggested that now is the time for Taiwan to invest in AI. Tang agreed when he said that Taiwan has hundreds of precision manufacturing companies, which presents an ideal opportunity for the development of related AI applications.
AI is like a new form of electricity, he said. He suggested that regulating products or specific industries may be a more feasible approach compared to regulating general-purpose technologies.
The challenge of AI's impact on democracy, particularly in Taiwan's geopolitical context, was also a topic of discussion. Tang said that many people in Taiwan expect the government to demonstrate responsible AI usage.
Taiwan's government has already started using generative AI guidelines in public services, she said. She added the country's National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) is developing a Trusted AI Dialogue Engine (TAIDE) that incorporates Taiwanese language elements.
Tang said that, currently, when working with ChatGPT, inputting Taiwanese can yield responses in Cantonese. Tang said this highlighted the importance of investing in Taiwanese AI technologies related to long-term care and aging as well as Mandarin.
Speaking about building AI startups, Ng said the media often focuses on the hardware, cloud infrastructure, and developer layers of the AI industry. He underlined that success in these areas depends on the success of the less-discussed application layer.
Ng said he had collaborated with Renate Nyborg, the former CEO of Tinder, to create a unique AI love coaching application. Referring to himself, Ng joked that “Mr. AI is no Romeo.”
He asked the audience "How many teams in the world are experts in both AI and love?" “Not many, as a matter of fact,” he answered.
