Taiwan AI Regulation

Overview

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed the Artificial Intelligence Basic Act on 23 December 2025. The Act was officially promulgated and entered into force on 14 January 2026 following presidential approval by President William Lai Ching-te. The AI Basic Act functions as a framework statute, articulating core principles and institutional arrangements that will shape future AI regulation in Taiwan, rather than imposing immediate compliance obligations on the private sector. It is the first comprehensive AI governance legislation in Taiwan. What the Act covers

–The Act stipulates that AI development should adhere to seven core principles: sustainability and well-being, human autonomy, privacy and data governance, cybersecurity and safety, transparency and explainability, fairness and non-discrimination, and accountability.

–The Act designates the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) as the central competent authority for AI in Taiwan and requires the Executive Yuan to establish a national AI strategy committee, chaired by the premier, to formulate national AI development guidelines. The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) will develop an AI risk classification framework aligned with international standards, establish sector-specific guidelines, and clarify liability and compensation mechanisms for high-risk AI systems.

–The Act also calls on the government to allocate funding for AI research, applications, and infrastructure, and to provide assistance and subsidies for AI development, training, testing, and validation. It requires data minimisation, data protection by design, and safeguards for workers displaced by AI adoption.

–Implementation timeline

–MODA has publicly targeted Q1 2026 for the AI risk classification framework. The Act sets the following deadlines:

–Within three months: publish impact assessments covering minors, human rights, and gender. Within six months: complete risk assessments for existing government AI uses. Within 12 months: establish government AI use rules and internal controls. Within 24 months: review, establish, or amend relevant laws and regulations to conform to the Act.

–Context

–Prior to the Act, the Taiwan government had published multiple guidelines and plans for AI development, including the AI Technology R&D Guidelines (2019), the Taiwan Artificial Intelligence Action Plan 2.0 (2023–2026), and guidelines for use of generative AI by government authorities (2023).

–Taiwan's critical and leading role in the AI supply chain and ecosystem means it faces particular urgency in ensuring its industries and society can take full advantage of its global position. The Act aligns with global governance trends and has been described as a potential model for other Asian jurisdictions yet to legislate, including Japan.

Key Sources

Artificial Intelligence Basic Act — Executive Yuan summaryView ↗

Focus Taiwan — AI Basic Act passed (CNA, December 2025)View ↗

TechPolicy.Press — Taiwan's AI Basic Act Can Be a Model for Asia (February 2026)View ↗

This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

AI Regulation Timeline

07/09/2025

inquiry

Fair Trade Commission closes consultation on inquiry into generative Artificial Intelligence and competition policy

On 7 September 2025, Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission closes the public consultation paper on generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and competition policy. The consultation applies to Taiwan's AI industry, including hardware suppliers, model developers, and application deployers. The consultation seeks input on four competition law areas, including market dominance abuse, concerted actions, market concentration, and unfair competition practices in the AI sector.

View on Digital Policy Alert ↗