Taipei: Taiwan's Smart City Summit and Expo kicked off Tuesday in Taipei, showcasing the nation's strengths in digital governance and smart public services.

According to Focus Taiwan, the event is designed to highlight Taiwan's technological "soft power" and features more than 2,250 booths and over 70 professional forums. The expo runs from Tuesday to Friday in Taipei and from Friday to Sunday in Kaohsiung. Organizers, including the Taipei Computer Association (TCA) and the National Development Council, announced that the event has attracted representatives from 174 cities across 53 countries, alongside more than 3,000 international visitors and over 250 startup teams. Notably, Japan (Tokyo) and Poland are participating with dedicated pavilions for the first time.

TCA Chief Vice President Huang Yun-pei emphasized that AI applications across industries are a central focus of the expo. The exhibition includes AI City, AI robotics, and AI+ zones, alongside international AI forums and industry events, demonstrating how Taiwan is integrating AI into smart urban solutions.

Global research predicts that the AI market for smart cities will expand significantly, from US$50.63 billion in 2025 to US$460.47 billion by 2034, at a compound annual growth rate of 27.8 percent. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience the fastest growth in this sector.