💻 Technology
Chinese Premier Li Qiang presented the State Council's work report at the National People's Congress, mentioning AI and artificial intelligence over 50 times. The government's annual budget allocates increased spending for scientific research and development at a rate comparable to defense expenditure growth, indicating that high-tech industries will become a key driver of China's economic growth over the next five years.
Taiwan's National Science Council unveiled the "AI New Ten Major Constructions - National Quantum Computing Strategy" on the 6th, presenting Phase 1 results. President Lai Ching-te announced strong support for Phase 2, targeting three goals: accumulating technological capabilities, launching integration plans, and strengthening cybersecurity. The government's "AI New Ten Major Constructions" includes four infrastructure pillars: sovereign AI, computing centers, and regional balanced development, aiming to advance Taiwan's quantum industry.
To protect teenagers under 16 from social media harm, Australia, Europe and other countries are advancing legislation. Young people are embracing digital detox trends, using hardware add-ons to limit smartphone functions. At the 2026 Barcelona Mobile World Congress, tech companies unveiled digital detox products to help heavy users overcome digital addiction and restore technology's role as a tool.
OpenAI released GPT-5.4, its next-generation large language model, on March 5th, rolling out simultaneously across ChatGPT, API, and Codex development tools. The model integrates reasoning, coding, and AI agent capabilities, optimized for professional knowledge work. GPT-5.4 marks the first offering of native computer operation ability, enabling AI agents to directly control applications and browsers through computer interfaces.
Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration announced progress on a diabetes AI project on March 4th. Launched two years ago with Google Taiwan, the project leverages Google's AI tools and computing resources, while Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes developed a risk prediction model validated using NHI big data. The model predicts diabetes risk levels and comorbidity risks, and integrates Gemini for personalized health education. Healthcare providers can access risk assessments via the Family Medicine Platform, while citizens will gain access to a personal health education assistant feature in the Health Wallet App this month.
Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council announced on March 6 that the national quantum computing strategy has entered its second phase, with the launch of a quantum computer subsystem verification platform in Hsinchu. Since 2021, the Executive Yuan has led a national quantum team comprising the NSC, Academia Sinica, and Ministry of Economic Affairs. The strategy aims to leverage Taiwan's semiconductor advantages to attract international collaboration and integrate the industry supply chain into the global quantum technology ecosystem.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has introduced a breakthrough battery technology that can charge to 97% capacity in just 9 minutes. This advancement potentially transforms the EV charging experience, offering faster charging speeds compared to traditional refueling methods. The company announced this significant battery innovation in March, aiming to enhance user convenience and address one of the major concerns in electric vehicle adoption.
Artificial intelligence is transforming scientific research from traditional human-driven approaches toward automated mechanism discovery systems. This paradigm shift has sparked strategic competition among Europe, the United States, China, and Taiwan in algorithms, data, and precision integration, reshaping the future landscape of scientific research and innovation leadership.
Broadcom reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings with strong revenue guidance. CEO Chen Fu-yang stated the company expects AI chip sales to exceed $100 billion next year, marking entry into the market currently dominated by NVIDIA. The company announced a $10 billion share buyback program. The announcement boosted Broadcom's stock price by over 2% in early trading on the 5th.
Alphabet's Google has announced new policies for its Play Store application marketplace, including reduced commission fees and support for external payment methods. The changes aim to address antitrust concerns in the United States and comply with new regulatory requirements in Europe and other regions. This reform represents a significant adjustment to the company's app store business model in response to increased regulatory scrutiny.