Legislative Acts

AI Equity and AI Voucher Initiative

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Timeline

2026

• 2026.05.12 [General Inquiry] Request Executive Yuan review of AI vouchers Legislator JU CHUN KO stated that the functional gap between free and paid AI tools is growing. Without public intervention, AI will deepen education, income, and urban-rural divides. He asked the Executive Yuan to convene the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Digital Affairs, National Science and Technology Council, and other agencies to study an “AI voucher,” “digital voucher,” or similar program modeled on Taiwan’s culture voucher.

• 2026.05.12 [Executive Yuan Response] Two-month review of integrated payment options Premier Cho Jung-tai responded that the Executive Yuan will review integrated payment options within two months. This moves AI equity from a single-ministry policy into an inter-ministerial coordination issue.

• 2026.05.07 [Media Summary] First pilot details for Libraries with AI released Media reports stated that the Ministry of Education’s Libraries with AI program is expected to begin in Q4 2026 at three national libraries: the National Central Library, National Library of Public Information, and National Taiwan Library. Each library will initially provide five dedicated computers preinstalled with mainstream paid AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for library-card holders.

• 2026.04.30 [Policy Progress] Ministry of Education approved Libraries with AI After Legislator Ko’s continued advocacy, the Ministry of Education approved Libraries with AI, with paid AI access expected to begin in affiliated national libraries in Q4 2026 as the first step toward AI equity.

• 2026.04.01 [Education Committee Inquiry] Proposal for Libraries with AI In the Education and Culture Committee, Ko asked the Ministry of Education to deploy AI resources in affiliated libraries first, turning public libraries into frontline infrastructure for digital equity and technology access. Minister Cheng Ying-yao called the proposal “professional and well-intentioned” and committed to further study and a written assessment within one month.

Why AI Equity Is a Public Policy Issue

Generative AI is now a key tool for learning, research, creation, and work, but tool capabilities are becoming stratified. Free AI tools can handle basic use cases, while paid tools often provide stronger models, higher usage limits, longer context windows, and better code and file-processing capabilities.

According to reports citing Institute for Information Industry survey data, more than 70% of people in Taiwan use free AI, and the share may be even higher among students. When paid AI costs roughly NT$600 to NT$700 per month, that price can become a new digital barrier for disadvantaged students, rural families, and ordinary citizens.

Legislator Ko argues that AI should not become a tool reserved for those with resources. If the government truly wants people to “see AI and use AI,” it cannot treat AI only as an industrial policy. AI must also be treated as an education, equity, and public-access policy.

Libraries with AI: The First Public Access Step

The core idea of Libraries with AI is simple: turn libraries into public access points for paid AI. Citizens do not need to pay subscriptions themselves. With a library card from a pilot library, they can use mainstream paid AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in public library spaces.

The first pilot sites are:

1. National Central Library.
2. National Library of Public Information.
3. National Taiwan Library.

Each library will initially provide five dedicated computers. Libraries will need reservation, time-limit, and account-management rules to prevent public resources from being monopolized by a small number of users. The Ministry of Education will also support expansion to 47 national universities. National universities can use Higher Education Sprout Project funding, while private universities can apply through existing subsidy channels.

The significance of this policy is not merely the number of computers. It is that the government formally recognizes access to AI tools as a public issue.

AI Vouchers: From Pilot Program to Universal Access

Libraries with AI is only a first step. Library computers alone cannot satisfy the needs of all students and citizens. If each library has only five computers, service capacity will remain limited. True AI equity requires a more flexible subsidy tool.

Ko therefore proposes studying an “AI voucher,” “digital voucher,” or similar program modeled on the Ministry of Culture’s culture voucher. AI vouchers could be used to:

1. Subsidize students’ subscriptions to mainstream paid AI tools.
2. Offset AI courses, certifications, or digital learning resources.
3. Support teachers who need paid AI tools in classrooms.
4. Encourage libraries, schools, and local governments to purchase lawful group licenses.
5. Guide the market to provide AI education products suited for Taiwan students and Traditional Chinese users.

The Ministry of Education previously responded that AI voucher design should start from digital citizenship, broader use experience, and AI equity, and suggested that the authority responsible for AI, such as the Ministry of Digital Affairs, may be the appropriate lead. Ko has asked the Executive Yuan not to let AI vouchers become a bureaucratic football, but to convene the relevant agencies at the Cabinet level.

AI Education Cannot Stay at Patchwork Guidelines

AI equity is not only about tool access. It also requires AI literacy. In his April 1, 2026 inquiry, Ko argued that if the Ministry of Education continues to use old curricula and outdated governance logic to face AI, students will struggle to build complete AI understanding, practical skills, and ethical judgment.

He also noted that digital literacy and civic literacy are connected. In an environment of AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes, algorithmic recommendations, and online interaction, students need more than tool operation. They need the ability to evaluate information sources, identify false content, respect digital norms, and protect personal data.

AI equity policy should therefore include three layers:

1. Tool access: Ensure people can use paid AI tools.
2. Education and literacy: Teach students how to use AI correctly and responsibly.
3. Local content: Build Traditional Chinese AI teaching materials and learning resources to strengthen Taiwan’s voice in the AI era.

Next Steps Requested

Legislator JU CHUN KO has asked the Executive Yuan and relevant agencies to complete the following work:

1. Provide formal review results within two months on AI vouchers, digital vouchers, or integrated payment options.
2. Publicly explain the pilot schedule, reservation rules, usage limits, account management, and cybersecurity safeguards for Libraries with AI.
3. Explain the concrete timeline for paid AI tool access across 47 national universities.
4. Study funding support and lawful licensing models for teachers using paid AI tools in classrooms.
5. Make AI literacy, information evaluation, ethical judgment, and Traditional Chinese AI teaching materials central to education policy.

The AI cabinet cannot remain a slogan. As AI becomes new infrastructure for knowledge, education, and work, government must ensure that every student and citizen has a fair opportunity to access and learn AI.