2026 Smart Taichung Forum: Chun-yu Yang Invited to the “Building Taichung into the AI Robotics Capital” Forum to Discuss AI Industry Development with Industry, Government and Academia
To seize the lead in AI development, Taichung City Government’s Digital Development Bureau, together with Tunghai University, held the launch press conference for the “2026 Smart Taichung Forum” today (the 16th). At the event it was announced that the forum will take place on August 26. Mayor Lu Shiow-yen declared on the spot that Taichung is going all-out to build two new “sacred mountains protecting the nation” — drones and unmanned vehicles, and AI robotics — with the goal of using a strong industry-government-academia-research ecosystem to make Taichung the globally watched “AI Robotics Capital.”
“After semiconductors secured Taiwan’s strategic position in the global tech industry, the key to the next wave of rewriting the world’s rules will inevitably be the unmanned and intelligent-robot industries,” Lu stressed. This is not merely technological innovation but a new industrial revolution that will determine Taiwan’s future competitiveness. To that end, following last month’s joint exploration of drone business opportunities with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the city government is once again turning its focus to AI robotics in August, hoping to link the cross-domain strengths of industry, government and academia so that “AI Taiwan, AI Taichung” moves from vision to concrete industrial competitiveness.
Observers are asking what gives Taichung the edge in the global AI race. Lu pointed to three irreplaceable geo-strategic advantages. The first is “fertile ground for talent and R&D”: Greater Taichung is home to 17 universities that continue to supply abundant innovation and research energy. The second is “policy leadership and drive”: the city government actively builds bridges across sectors and acts as a catalyst for industrial transformation. The last is “an unrivaled industrial-cluster foundation”: central Taiwan has long been a hub for key components in precision machinery, machine tools, semiconductors, optics and sensors worldwide, with deep and solid roots from underlying hardware R&D and high-precision manufacturing to system integration. This quick-response capability of “hardware-software integration” is precisely the most critical catalyst for putting AI robots and unmanned vehicles into commercial use.
In this intelligent revolution, the transformation of higher education and its link with industry have become the most critical missing pieces. Zhang Guoen, President of co-host Tunghai University, said that AI is bringing education a revolution that requires a complete overhaul of thinking: schools should no longer only impart knowledge but cultivate future talent with the ability to integrate “Physical AI.” Chang noted that Tunghai University enjoys an excellent location, adjacent to the Taichung Industrial Park, Central Taiwan Science Park, Precision Machinery Park and Taichung Veterans General Hospital; this deep embedding in technology and industry clusters makes Tunghai the strongest think-tank backbone for the city’s transformation. He added bluntly that cultivating forward-looking talent cannot be done alone — only when industry and academia break down barriers and work closely together can Taichung be forged into a city that safeguards the nation through technology.
The organizer, the Digital Development Bureau, revealed that the forum focuses on three core themes: first, bringing together leaders from industry, government, academia and research to jointly draft a ten-year AI strategy white paper for Taichung; second, acting as a “digital matchmaker,” building bridges between central Taiwan’s precision-machinery cluster and Taiwan’s top software and chip suppliers to accelerate the commercialization of physical AI; and third, using dynamic demonstration zones to let the public see the latest applications of physical AI. At the press conference itself, an “AI dual-arm robot” co-developed by Jingxiang Electromechanical and Techman Robot was previewed, its precise intelligent grasping technology a microcosm of future automation and smart manufacturing.
The bureau said the forum has specially invited heavyweight speakers from the tech industry — including Phison Electronics founder Pua Khein-Seng and Foxconn’s first female CEO Yang Qiujin — to share AI development trends, and will bring together the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association and precision-machinery companies to analyze the direction of the AI robotics industry.
Guests gathered at today’s press conference. Besides Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen, who attended in person with the city government’s senior officials, academic leaders such as Tunghai University President Zhang Guoen, Ling Tung University of Technology President Chen Renlong and National Taichung University of Science and Technology President Chen Tongxiao were present, along with nearly 50 technology industry leaders from companies including Phison Electronics, Jingxiang Electromechanical, Techman Robot, Ponsfu Industrial, Haoyou Dian Smart Technology, Changlian Technology and Foxconn Technology, showing the strong industry consensus on Taichung’s AI transformation.
Original article:
Taichung City Government
https://www.taichung.gov.tw/8868/8872/9962/3323938
Economic Daily News
https://money.udn.com/money/story/5635/9632597