Enterprises are rapidly adopting AI agents—autonomous AI applications capable of decision-making. But this shift exposes them to new cybersecurity risks. Simon Tai, managing director for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan at SailPoint, revealed that up to 80% of companies have experienced AI agents performing unexpected actions, highlighting a critical gap in governance mechanisms for non-human identities.

Line go, a leading Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform in Taiwan, has integrated seven key transportation services into a single digital ecosystem, now serving over 4.8 million users nationwide. The company recently obtained dual international ISO certifications for information security and privacy protection as it rapidly expands its service offerings and technological capabilities.

AI is reshaping global industries, but for smart healthcare startups, the biggest challenge remains how to translate technology into real-world clinical markets beyond isolated experiments. On December 18, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) and international venture accelerator SparkLabs Taiwan co-hosted the Smart Health Capital Forum, bringing together representatives from medical startups, global pharmaceutical companies, and tech firms to share practical experiences in launching AI medical products and discuss balancing commercialization with clinical application.

As generative AI accelerates a new era of data-driven applications beyond big data, the quality and governance of data have emerged as decisive factors for success. In response, Taiwan's data community has taken a significant step toward standardization and trust by establishing the Taiwan Data Management Association (TDAMA) on December 16, 2025, aiming to address the long-standing lack of data governance standards across Taiwan's industries

Saudi Arabia is promoting the idea of "data embassies" to draw global investments in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, aiming to become the first G20 country with a comprehensive legal framework to protect foreign data sovereignty. The concept, reported by CNBC and Bloomberg, envisions data centers on Saudi soil governed by the laws of the data-owning country, similar to diplomatic embassies.

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have signed binding agreements to create a new US-based joint venture that will be majority-owned and controlled by American investors, TikTok CEO Shou Chew said in an internal memo to employees. The transaction, which is expected to close on January 22, 2026, is designed to secure the video-sharing platform's long-term operations in the US amid persistent national security scrutiny from Washington.

Even as the enterprise sector remains reluctant to adopt AI due to potential reputational damage or legal risks from LLM hallucinations, cybercriminal groups have long abandoned these worries. For hackers, AI errors simply mean they need to try again, leading them to rapidly adopt new technologies that have now enabled cyberattacks on a fully industrial scale.

Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai recently announced the government plans to invest NT$31.1 billion (US$992.95 million) in 2026 for 10 major AI infrastructure initiatives, including a government-subsidized project to advance the country's AI software sector. The software initiative aims to encourage all industries to adopt intelligent applications, transforming Taiwan into a truly smart technology island.

As 2025 draws to a close, leading cybersecurity firms are publishing their forecasts for 2026 trends, and their conclusions are strikingly aligned. Analyses from Check Point, Fortinet, and Trend Micro point to a pivotal shift: artificial intelligence will evolve from a mere "assistive tool" into an autonomous agent capable of independent decision-making.

At the startup expo COMEUP 2025 that took place in Seoul last week, Taiwan's emerging companies, including Infinitix and SurveyCake, showcased plans to deepen their footprint in South Korea's growing AI and consumer markets. Led by the National Development Council (NDC) and local startup communities under the Startup Island Taiwan brand, these firms aim to leverage South Korea's vibrant tech ecosystem for expansion.

Taiwanese startup accelerator AppWorks and South Korea's SparkLabs participated in COMEUP 2025, a prominent startup event in Seoul, underscoring growing collaboration between the two Asian technology hubs. Both economies aim to help startups overcome geographic barriers and jointly expand their presence in global markets as artificial intelligence gains momentum worldwide.

Smart building solutions provider Ezcon has announced the launch of its fully integrated smart building solution, developed in conjunction with major partners Intel, Aopen, Advantech, Aspeed Technology, and Schneider Electric. According to Ezcon CEO Benny Chou, the move aims to address low-cost competition from Chinese suppliers and fragmented systems in the Taiwanese market by introducing high-spec hardware and API integration to facilitate after-sales maintenance and cross-system interoperability.

Driven by the rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), competition across computing power, data, and applications is intensifying, prompting countries to adjust their technology strategies in a bid to secure a leading position in industrial competition over the next decade.

Oracle's fiscal second-quarter report for 2025 showed increased borrowing and shrinking free cash flow as the company expands from software into artificial intelligence (AI) hardware. The firm's remaining performance obligations (RPO) linked to AI surged to US$523 billion, marking a 438% year-over-year increase and prompting an increase in capex guidance from US$35 billion to US$50 billion for the year. Despite concerns about growing financial leverage, supply chain partners such as Foxconn and MiTAC Holdings maintain confidence, citing steady customer orders and capacity growth.

Asia-Pacific enterprises are rapidly advancing AI adoption, with investments expected to grow from nearly US$90 billion in 2025 to US$176 billion by 2028, primarily focused on building agentic AI systems. On December 9, UiPath outlined six key AI agent development trends for 2026 in Taiwan, emphasizing the country's leadership in the manufacturing and finance sectors as a model for global AI governance, deployment, and advancement.

Oracle's rapid expansion of AI data centers is intensifying concerns over depreciation and capital needs, prompting the company to outline new funding approaches and margin expectations as it navigates a costly scale-up phase.

Oracle reports double-digit revenue growth in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, with profit nearly doubling year over year after recording a gain from the sale of its stake in chipmaker Ampere. The company highlights multicloud momentum and expanding AI opportunities.

Healthcare startup RnPT showcased its AI medical coordination platform KRACE to international media at the 2025 Pangyo Global Media Meet-Up, underscoring Korea's effort to expand its global healthcare footprint as demand from foreign patients continues to climb.

Amazon plans to invest more than US$35 billion in India across its businesses through 2030, expanding on the nearly US$40 billion it has already invested in the country, the company said on December 10, 2025, at the sixth Amazon Smbhav Summit in New Delhi. The planned investment will target business expansion and three priority areas: AI-driven digitization, export growth, and job creation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan in New Delhi, where the two US tech leaders outlined major investments and support for India's ambitions in artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

The US government's decision to ease restrictions on exporting Nvidia's H200 AI chip to China marks a significant victory for one of the world's most influential computing companies. It also signals a subtle but unmistakable shift in Washington's China tech strategy—from a rigid, across-the-board blockade to a more transactional, negotiable system of conditional controls.

Smart healthcare is poised to drive Taiwan's next industrial upgrade with a projected output of NT$2.3 billion (US$73.5 billion), at growth rates surpassing even the semiconductor industry. Although Taiwan's world-leading healthcare and ICT industries have mostly evolved on parallel tracks without intersecting, industry experts believe that bridging supply and demand between the two could lead to another wave of strong momentum. However, smart healthcare goes beyond hardware manufacturing, and instead emphasizes comprehensive solutions where data and AI functionality could lead the way.

IBM said on December 8 that it has agreed to acquire Confluent in an all-cash deal valuing the data-streaming company at US$11 billion. Under the agreement, IBM will purchase all outstanding Confluent shares for US$31 each, a price approved by both companies' boards and supported by Confluent shareholders representing about 62% of voting power. The transaction, funded with IBM's cash on hand, is expected to close by mid-2026 pending regulatory and shareholder approvals.