Taiwan and Europe Forge Strategic Partnership in Semiconductor and AI Technologies

Taiwan and European nations are advancing strategic technological partnerships in semiconductors and high-performance computing (HPC), with leaders from both regions emphasizing collaborative innovation and talent development.

At the Semi Impact Forum 2024 in Barcelona, key representatives from Taiwan's semiconductor industry and European research institutions discussed strengthening cross-border technological capabilities. Professor Konrad Young, a former TSMC research director, highlighted the complementary strengths between Taiwan and Europe, noting that Taiwan's semiconductor manufacturing expertise pairs effectively with Europe's robust equipment and research foundations.

Professor Rui Carlos Oliveira from Portugal's INESC TEC emphasized the strategic potential of distributed architectures and cross-border cooperation in artificial intelligence and HPC. The collaboration between Taiwan's National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) and INESC TEC, which began in 2017, has progressively expanded from high-performance computing and marine technology to artificial intelligence.

Both Young and Oliveira stressed the critical importance of cultivating globally-oriented talent through interdisciplinary education and industry-academic partnerships. They argued that technological advancement now depends more on international cooperation than national competition.

This emerging partnership represents a significant development in the global technology landscape, positioning Taiwan and Europe to potentially lead future innovations in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence research.