Taipei: Taiwan’s defense ministry has taken a significant step by establishing an artificial intelligence (AI) office aimed at exploring the potential military applications of this emerging technology, a senior military official announced on Thursday. Lt. Gen. Huang Wen-chi, the director of the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) Department of Strategic Planning, shared this development during a legislative session, noting that the office was officially incorporated under the MND headquarters in Taipei on October 1.

According to Focus Taiwan, the newly formed office is primarily focused on integrating AI into areas such as image and video detection, computer security, and anti-hacking. Lt. Gen. Huang emphasized the importance of the technology’s maturity and development in determining the extent to which AI will be employed for military purposes, including combat.

During the same legislative session, Defense Minister Wellington Koo indicated that the office is currently in a trial phase, serving as a platform to coordinate the AI requirements across various MND units. Minister Koo also mentioned that there is no set timetable for when the trial phase will conclude and the office will become fully operational.