On October 19th, the Silicon Valley Taiwanese American Industrial Technology Association (TAITA-SV) held its 21st annual conference in Santa Clara, focusing on the theme “Rooted in Science, Innovative Technology.” The event brought together nine distinguished speakers from academia and industry. The keynote speaker at the dinner was former Academia Sinica President, Wong Chi-hue, who explored developments in healthcare and biotechnology. The conference boasted over 250 attendees from various sectors, with the dinner fully booked at 28 tables.
The event kicked off with remarks from Yen Hung-wei, the head of the Science and Technology Division at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco. He emphasized that Silicon Valley stands as a global epicenter of technological innovation, comparable to an engine propelling the advancement of new technologies and significantly impacting the world. He highlighted the division’s commitment to enhancing the collaboration between Taiwan and Silicon Valley.
In an interview, Wong Chi-hue reflected on the impressive talent pool in Silicon Valley, which spans multiple fields. He noted that this year’s conference placed particular emphasis on the semiconductor and AI industries, allowing participants to engage with inspiring stories and learn about Taiwan’s exceptional talents. Wong expressed excitement about the prospects for Taiwan’s future, referring to it as potentially having a “Golden Decade.”
Wong also pointed out that AI could influence various sectors, connecting it to his research on the role of sugar molecules in proteins. He mentioned that leveraging AI could significantly enhance glycoprotein design, which would have far-reaching implications for the development of glycoprotein-based drugs.
Luc Yu, the president of TAITA-SV, underscored the association’s role as a bridge for Taiwanese-American technology exchange, facilitating connections between scholarship recipients and industry leaders. This year, over 30 university professors participated, making TAITA-SV a public platform that fosters intergenerational collaboration beyond just academia and industry.
Among the speakers from Taiwan was Huang Ching-yung, the founder of DIGITIMES, who expressed optimism about Taiwan’s prospects over the next decade. He stated that barring any major shifts in the global landscape, Taiwan could very well experience a “Golden Decade.” He pointed out that this year marked the first time Taiwan’s publicly-listed electronics companies collectively surpassed $1 trillion in annual revenue, and the semiconductor sector exceeded $200 billion for the first time—a development closely tied to the server and AI boom.
Huang further referenced Jensen Huang’s assertion that AI would stimulate software, which in turn would spur hardware innovations. He emphasized that hardware would redefine the demand for AI. He noted that constructing a 3nm chip plant costs around $20 billion, while a 2nm facility could require as much as $28 billion and over two years of setup. Interactions with clients can take just as long, meaning the latest manufacturing processes require significant time to come to fruition. He concluded that Taiwan’s advantages in this sector are unlikely to be easily overtaken in the short term.
