Participants at the Executive Yuan Science and Technology Advisory Board Meeting called on the government to take action to maintain and boost the nation’s technological competitiveness, including by broadening education in technology.

The meeting opened earlier this month, returning after a 12-year hiatus.

The three-day meeting convened top scientists and industry leaders to offer advice on a path forward for Taiwan’s technology development over the next 10 years.

Two main themes were said to have been featured. One was green technologies amid the global effort to move toward carbon neutrality, and the other is the possible mutual enhancement between artificial intelligence (AI) and the semiconductor industry.

On the topic of the development of and mutual enhancement of semiconductors and AI, Taiwan is to continue “capitalizing on its strengths in semiconductors to become a reliable partner in driving global innovations in semiconductor and AI technology,” National Science and Technology Council Executive Secretary Sheen Horn-jiunn (沈弘俊) said.

The strategic direction is to emphasize next-generation talents, accelerating the development of semiconductor and AI applications, and incubating industrial innovations with generative AI, Sheen said.

Regarding green technologies, the vision is a Taiwan that rises to become “a role model in net zero transition by way of a knowledge-based route,” he said, adding that the strategic direction to achieving this is to set decarbonization goals “in accordance with Taiwan’s traits,” and to use the net zero transition as an opportunity to develop “green and local supply chains.”

National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) and Academia Sinica President James Liao (廖俊智), who serves as the top technology adviser, put some flesh to the framework directions advised.

“The advisers said that as generative AI is expected to be used in every industry, technical and vocational education should take up more role, rather than be seen as second-tier,” Wu said, adding that universities also need to be more aligned with what the industry is doing.

Tax incentives should no longer be just provided to equipment or hardware, Wu cited the advisers as saying and added: “More incentives should also be given to ‘brains,’ talents and intellectual property.”

Liao said it was advised that Taiwan should work to continue helping the semiconductor ecosystem advance, such as in critical materials and chemicals, to maintain the nation’s competitive edge in the industry.