Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs, honored former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s legacy of balancing innovation with human dignity. She emphasized that technology must serve ethical, human-centered goals—a vision aligned with Japan’s Society 5.0.
Tang introduced Taiwan’s vision for the “AIWS Government 24/7 AI and Finance Platform,” stressing the importance of ethical, responsive governance supported by public trust and civic participation. Drawing from a decade of digital democracy, she shared how Taiwan uses “broad listening”—a model of collaborative dialogue rather than top-down broadcasting—to build trust and co-create policy.
She discussed the g0v movement, where citizens prototype digital solutions to improve public services, and highlighted Taiwan’s use of AI-enhanced deliberation tools like Pol.is to engage citizens in meaningful dialogue. One example was the public debate on Uber vs. taxis, which led to constructive policy outcomes without polarization.
Tang warned of AI’s risks—such as deepfakes and disinformation—but emphasized that AI can also empower collective intelligence and public deliberation. Taiwan implemented AI-facilitated “citizen assemblies” to combat fake ads, resulting in rapid legislative reforms to protect information integrity.
She introduced Taiwan’s guiding principle of “plurality over singularity”—embracing diverse intelligences to enhance human collaboration, not replace it. Tang also praised Japan’s initiatives, such as those led by Tokyo gubernatorial candidate Takaho Ano, that demonstrate participatory, tech-based governance.
In conclusion, Tang called for strengthening civic muscles through AI-assisted public dialogue, emphasizing that trust and accountability—not just technological advancement—are essential. She closed with her personal motto: transforming the Internet of Things into an Internet of Beings, and always remembering that while the singularity may be near, plurality is already here.
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