Taiwan’s NCKU, Quanta Computer found joint AI Research Center

台灣國立成功大學與廣達電腦成立聯合AI研究中心

School receives Quanta Computer AI server worth NT$6 million


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and Quanta Computer announced the establishment of the Quanta-NCKU Joint Artificial Intelligence Research Center on Wednesday (Dec. 29).

At a founding and signing ceremony attended by Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲), NCKU President Su Huey-jen (蘇慧貞) and Quanta Computer Chair Barry Lam (林百里) signed a memorandum of understanding on the creation of an interdisciplinary team to integrate AI cloud technology at the national level. Quanta Computer gifted NCKU with an ultra-high performance AI server worth around NT$6 million (US$270,010) at the event and will continue to sponsor the advancement and development of the AI Research Center for the next four years.

In a speech, Huang said the Tainan City Government had begun working with many businesses, including Quanta Computer, to form the “5G Tainan Team,” which seeks to apply 5G technology in the public domain. “I am glad to witness the establishment of the Quanta-NCKU Joint AI Research Center. I thank NCKU for linking industry, government, academia, and application together and Quanta for leading Taiwan forward in AI research.”

Su said the Legislative Yuan's recent passage of a bill to found the Ministry of Digital Development is a huge encouragement and thanked Lam for his decision to help promote AI-related innovations in Taiwan. As Quanta Computer is a pioneer in hardware, the research center is guaranteed to have the most advanced equipment, and NCKU’s newly founded “impressive” School of Smart Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing has shown that “we came to the right place!” Lam said.

The Quanta-NCKU Joint AI Research Center will become a matchmaking platform for teams at the university and company according to specific projects commissioned by Quanta Computer to promote research product industrialization.

The research center will also invite international experts and Quanta Computer researchers to give speeches and workshops at NCKU, while NCKU faculty will engage with Quanta Computer staff through seminars and short-term courses. Meanwhile, students at the Tainan-based university will be eligible for corporate internships and international research opportunities.

According to NCKU, using AI technology to support university-level courses and research has become a trend, especially in big data collection, analysis, and predictions. The school will introduce smart city designs and modes of operation to its campus by integrating instruction, research, and everyday infrastructure management.

Through strategic industry-academia collaboration and with the help of AI and big data analysis technology, the school hopes to pave the way for innovative smart applications in Taiwan’s medical and agricultural industries as well as its cities by combining biomedical technology, the internet of things, big data, and optoelectronics. With additional aid from the Ministry of Digital Development, NCKU’s goal is to become the epitome of a smart city that demonstrates the internet of things in action.