The world is in the midst of the artificial intelligence (AI) trend, and Taiwan, as one of the world's AI technology manufacturing centers, has not only gained widespread recognition in terms of hardware, but more importantly, we should delve deeper into the field of AI applications.
Healthcare is one of the few fields in Taiwan that enjoys a global reputation. We possess abundant medical resources and technological research and development capabilities. Utilizing these advantages to invest more resources in applying AI to solve practical problems is a smart strategy for facing future challenges. This will allow Taiwan to not only make money selling "shovels" in the AI field, but also to strike gold in the healthcare sector. In particular, Taiwan will enter a super-aged society in 2025, which provides us with an urgent need and a huge market opportunity to accelerate the use of AI to solve elderly care problems.
Among the many issues in elderly care, the mental health and social needs of the elderly deserve particular attention. With the rapid development of generative AI technology, we are witnessing a brand new possibility: AI companionship. The groundbreaking dialogue capabilities brought by this wave of generative AI, combined with technologies such as physical robots and virtual humans, are opening up new avenues for companionship in the elderly. Imagine an elderly person living alone with a companion robot equipped with advanced AI, capable not only of daily conversations but also of engaging in deeper dialogues based on the elderly person's interests and experiences; virtual human technology allows this AI assistant to present a realistic human image, interacting with the elderly through a large screen, increasing friendliness and realism.
More importantly, these AI assistants can operate 24/7 and respond appropriately to the elderly person's emotions. They can also promptly notify family members or medical staff when abnormalities are detected, reducing the caregiving burden on families and society. Furthermore, AI applications are gradually expanding into voice recognition and robotics. Advances in voice recognition technology can accurately identify the elderly person's voice commands and needs, which is crucial for the use of smart devices and services. Meanwhile, robotics technology makes remote care possible. The integration of these technologies not only improves the efficiency and quality of care but also effectively reduces medical costs and resource waste, allowing the elderly to enjoy autonomy and peace of mind at home.
As Taiwan's aging population becomes increasingly severe, accelerating the use of AI technology to address elderly care issues is not only a future trend but also a proactive action we must take to meet this challenge. If Taiwan can fully leverage its technological strengths and medical resources, it can become a global leader in elderly care innovation. This is not only a strategic decision but also a commitment to social responsibility.
Source: Financial News Issue 715