TAIPEI, December 23 

The Legislative Yuan passed the third reading of the "Artificial Intelligence Basic Law" today, symbolizing the official entry of Taiwan's legal system into a new era of AI jurisprudence. The International Artificial Intelligence and Law Research Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the Foundation), an organization dedicated to long-term AI legal research, welcomed the completion of the legislation but noted that the true challenge—concretely implementing the law's legislative spirit and policy directives into individual statutes—is just beginning.

In March 2023, the Foundation pioneered a civil draft of the AI Basic Law, triggering a legislative wave across the nation. Subsequent bills proposed by both ruling and opposition parties were heavily influenced by the Foundation's version. Key concepts incubated in the Foundation's draft—including risk-based regulatory norms, diverse governance models for establishing guidelines, and core AI legal principles such as human autonomy, sustainable development, transparency, explainability, fairness, non-discrimination, and accountability—are reflected in the final legislation.

Earlier this month, the Foundation recommended establishing an Executive Yuan-level committee to serve as a platform for inter-ministerial communication and government decision-making—a proposal that garnered support from the Legislative Yuan. Consequently, the AI Basic Law stipulates that the Executive Yuan shall establish a "National AI Strategy Special Committee." Convened by the Premier, this committee will bring together heads of relevant agencies, local government leaders, and representatives from industry and academia to meet at least once a year to jointly discuss national AI development strategies.

Chang Li-ching, CEO of the Foundation, stated that with the legislation of the AI Basic Law complete, competent authorities must "get moving" once the President promulgates the act. With the AI Basic Law acting as the "locomotive," agencies should immediately initiate the formulation or amendment of relevant laws to meet the demands of the coming AI era.

Chang emphasized three key priorities:

  1. Tech Industry Legislation: Legislation related to the technology industry is the most urgent in the face of global technological competition, as it is vital for maintaining the international competitiveness of Taiwan's tech sector.

  2. Labor Rights: Acknowledging that AI applications could impact labor rights, Chang called for a comprehensive review of laws regarding labor protections and employment counseling mechanisms to prevent negative social impacts.

  3. AI Legal Education: As AI applications—particularly generative AI—become increasingly widespread and challenge existing legal norms, AI legal education must be updated to prepare civil society for the AI age.

The Foundation affirmed it will continue to gather resources and make concrete contributions to AI legal research and education in Taiwan.

Back to the top