TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Google on Wednesday (March 13) announced its intentions to expand its artificial intelligence endeavors in Taiwan throughout the year, encompassing talent development, community outreach, and industrial innovation.
Google will inaugurate the Gemini Academy in Taiwan, aimed at enhancing AI literacy. Initially, 1,000 seats will be available for elementary and junior high school educators, revealed Google Taiwan General Manager Tina Lin (林雅芳) during a media briefing. Concurrently, pertinent courses will be accessible on YouTube through collaborations with Google’s partners.
Moreover, Google aims to empower Taiwan's developer community to leverage generative AI technologies. To achieve this, it has introduced Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, and Gemma's open model for local users. Around 5,000 program developers are expected to engage in a two-week Google Cloud training initiative, CNA quoted Lin as saying.
The third facet of Google's AI initiative focuses on fostering innovation. Lin highlighted the company's generative AI services, which have attracted clients from various sectors including tourism, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and entertainment.
Emphasizing Taiwan's significance as a regional hub, Lin mentioned the upcoming inauguration of a new office in the Taipei Far Eastern Telecom Park (Tpark) in the second quarter. Additionally, the Apricot subsea cable program, unveiled in 2021, is slated to commence operations in 2024, connecting Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, and Guam, according to UDN.
Other ongoing Google investments in Taiwan involve enhancing digital resilience for SMEs and NGOs, as well as programs for nurturing talent to bolster workers' digital skills.