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Minister Audrey Tang was invited to deliver a pre-recorded video speech at the Summit for Democracy, held in Seoul on the afternoon of the 18th. In the address, Minister Tang pointed out that Taiwan's experience in facing the challenges posed by AI and emerging technologies demonstrates that a belief in the power of co-creation and the implementation of democracy can shape outcomes that align with collective interests. And emphasized that only by following the path of democracy, rather than being solely led by technology experts, can we find the best solutions to ethical, political, and social challenges.

The third Summit for Democracy took place from March 18th to 20th in South Korea, with the theme "Democracy for Future Generations." Minister Tang was invited to deliver a speech during the second session of the Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable held on the afternoon of the first day. The session focused on "Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies: Right-Respecting Innovation in Democratic Societies."

Minister Tang cited the example of our country's elections in January of this year to illustrate bad actors in the pay of authoritarians pulled out all stops, coming close to poisoning our information climate and interfering in the outcome. However, government and people of all political persuasions stood as one in dealing with insidious efforts to sow the seeds of division and discord. Through strengthening democracy and working together to pave the way for an infinite future, thus thwarting the conspiracy aimed at sowing seeds of division and discord.

Minister Tang pointed out that Taiwan is facing a disproportionately high number of cyberattacks, posing a very serious situation. The moda is responding robustly ensured the stable operation of critical infrastructure and key websites through rigorous drills and tests. The fact proves that the round-the-clock rapid response team and frontline monitoring systems have been effective, resulting in a 22% decrease in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) cybersecurity incidents.
Minister Tang also shared Taiwan's practice of "pre-bunking" with democratic partners from various countries attending the summit. The point is to foster mutual trust instead of simply correcting facts. Research shows that a good pre-bunk explains tactics used to manipulate and has far-reaching benefits. By learning to recognize these tactics, the people are empowered to mount robust defenses.

Minister Tang particularly highlighted the “Cofacts”, a crowdsourced platform, also played a key role. Malicious and innocent reports alike were analyzed and assessed on the basis of accuracy and persuasiveness. With the assistance of real-time AI clarifications deployed by the g0v community, the people can make informed judgments on the veracity of content.

Minister Tang cautioned that nearly 40 countries holding elections this year, and AI could amplify risks via deepfakes, echo chambers, and micro-targeting. Extremism, polarization, and isolation, magnified by social media, are reshaping geopolitics. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan is willing and able to work with all stakeholders to ensure AI develops safely and sustainably. A democratic approach, not a technocratic one, is optimal for addressing this ethical, political, and societal conundrum.

Minister Tang further elaborated that Taiwan is advancing Alignment Assemblies with world-class partners, such as The Collective Intelligence Project(CIP),   OpenAI, and GETTING-Plurality research network. We have invited hundreds of thousands of everyday citizens to co-govern AI in the context of information integrity: Protecting users from harm; detecting and labeling AI content; requiring digital signatures for advertisers; making AI systems transparent; and implementing citizen oversight of fact-checking and ongoing monitoring of AI incidents.

Minister Tang concluded by stating that democratic deliberation will strengthen societal resilience. In due time, Taiwan's AI-related regulations will also be incorporated into global common standards, further enhancing Taiwan's position as a reliable and trustworthy partner. This is just one of the many ways Taiwan helps defend democracy, counter authoritarianism, and build a better future for all. Also expressed hope for close collaboration with global democratic partners to make 2024 a year of revitalizing democracy.