Taiwan Frontlines: Taiwan in the Global Arena

AI has rapidly become a central arena of global competition, shaping everything from national security and economic power to information ecosystems and democratic resilience. The race for AI leadership now spans energy infrastructure, semiconductor supply chains, global talent, and strategic partnerships, as nations seek to build sustainable and trustworthy technological ecosystems. At the same time, AI is transforming the information domain—enabling unprecedented advances, but also amplifying disinformation, influence operations, and cognitive warfare.

Our guest today is Ethan Tu, the founder of Taiwan AI Labs and a pioneering figure in Taiwan’s technology ecosystem, best known for founding PTT, Taiwan’s largest online bulletin board system. He has led groundbreaking AI research across academia, government, and industry, including work at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and as Microsoft’s Director of AI Research and Development in Asia-Pacific, where he helped shape Cortana. Today, Ethan focuses on building human-centric AI for healthcare, smart cities, and democratic resilience, while serving on keyboards and advisory bodies shaping Taiwan’s digital future.

This episode was created in partnership with NOWNEWS, through its English-language platform Taiwan Current News (https://www.tcn.tw/). 

Official transcript available on Simplecast (https://taiwan-frontlines-taiwan-in-the-global-arena.simplecast.com/episodes/how-ai-is-shaping-taiwans-security-society-and-strategy)

Timestamps:

[00:00] Intro

[02:02] AI as a Societal and Institutional Power

[04:42] Data Commons & Digital Autonomy

[06:17] Tracking China’s Progress in AI 

[07:57]  Synthetic Media Shifting Behavior in Taiwan

[10:37] Risks AI Can Pose to Taiwan in a Crisis

[14:48] Defensive AI Applications: Where to Invest for Deterrence 

[16:42] Strategies for Regulation 

[20:00] Utility of Export Controls on China

[23:37] Cultivating Talent for the AI Work Force

Semiconductors have become the most strategic resource of the 21st century. They power everything from smartphones and data centers to fighter jets and unofficial intelligence, and whoever controls this technology controls the future of military and economic power. The global chip industry now sits at the intersection of economic, security and ideology. It is shaping how the United States, China and allies like Taiwan and Japan compete for advantage.
Our guest today is Dr. Chris Miller, a professor at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He is also a non-resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a thinktank in Washington, D.C. His most recent book is Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology. It was a New York Times Best Seller and a winner of the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award, the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Book Award and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2024 History Prize. 
This episode was created in partnership with NOWNEWS, through its English-language platform Taiwan Current News (https://www.tcn.tw/).
Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[01:45] Chip Control During Trump 1.0  
[03:09] Is Technology Denial Achievable?
[04:42] Implications for Mid-Tier Firms and Economy
[07:18] European Investment Screening - Effective or Fragmented? 
[08:57] Avoiding Chokepoints in Critical Minerals
[11:41] Timeline for Reducing US Dependencies on Rare Earths 
[14:28] Lutnick’s 50-50 Goal
[17:14] Silicon Valley Model & USG Support
[19:50] CHIPS Act – Global Impact & Unintended Consequences
[22:47] Balancing Export Controls and Maintaining Tech Leadership
[26:43] Revisiting the Silicon Shield
[30:20] Updates to Chip War: AI & Advanced Packaging 
[32:33] The US-China AI Tech Stack Competition

Introducing Taiwan Frontlines: Taiwan in the Global Arena — a limited series GMF podcast hosted by Bonnie Glaser & Jason Hsu in partnership with NOWNews.