Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has announced the implementation of a 5-year AI (artificial intelligence) innovation R&D center program with an annual NT$1 billion (US$33.3 million) budget beginning January 1, 2018.
Four selected universities will each operate an AI innovation R&D center. National Taiwan University will operate a center focusing on AI core technology, biotechnology and medical care; National Cheng Kung University will operate one on biotechnology and medical care; National Tsing Hua University will operate one on smart manufacturing; and National Chiao Tung University will operate one on smart services especially electric vehicles and autonomous driving.
Each center will be responsible for developing respective AI technologies, platforms and big data bases for use by industries, research institutes and public/private organizations. The centers are encouraged to cooperate with enterprises and international AI research teams.
MOST has selected 19 R&D projects on AI core technology, 21 on biotechnology and medical care, 10 on smart manufacturing and 17 on smart services, with these projects to be undertaken at the corresponding R&D centers. The 67 projects are aimed to attract participation by more than 300 local and international AI scholars and researchers and groom about 3,000 AI experts in five years.
MOST minister Chen Liang-gee indicated in order to boost smart medical care development in Taiwan, national health insurance data will be available for academic organizations to build models for practical use by industries.
MOST minister Chen Liang-gee (second from left) announced the start of a 5-year AI R&D project
Photo: Michael Lee, Digitimes, December 2017
