At the 2025 Taiwan AI Academy Annual Conference, themed “Taiwan’s AI Competitiveness,” President Nen-Fu Huang of Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (STUST) was invited to be the keynote speaker for the meaningful Sheng-Wei Chen Memorial Lecture. This was not only a major event for sharing AI technology but also a touching tribute to a mentor-protégé relationship and the continuation of a beloved student’s legacy. President Huang’s talk—titled “AI Industry Implementation and Cultivating Hands-On AI Talent—provided a deep dive into STUST’s innovative achievements in AI and outlined a blueprint for the future of Taiwan’ AI industry.

【Dr. Nen-Fu Huang, President of STUST, was speaking at the Sheng-Wei Chen Memorial Lecture at the 2025 Taiwan AI Academy Annual Conference. His speech, titled “AI Industry Implementation and Cultivating Hands-On AI Talent,” highlighted the university’s practical spirit and its application of AI in vision, auditory, and generative AI fields.】

From Mentor to Memorial Keynote Speaker

Sheng-Wei Chen (1976–2020), formerly known as Kuan-Ta Chen, was a brilliant data scientist and AI expert who served as the CEO of Taiwan AI Academy and the Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Technology Foundation. This exceptionally talented individual, who made outstanding contributions to Taiwan’s AI development, passed away five years ago at the age of 44. At his memorial service, former Minister of Science and Technology Liang-Chi Chen presented a posthumous commendation from the president, acknowledging Chen's profound and lasting impact on artificial intelligence in Taiwan.

Each year, the conference holds the Sheng-Wei Chen Memorial Lecture, inviting his mentors or friends to speak in his honor. President Huang was Sheng-Wei Chen’s advisor for his master’s thesis at National Tsing Hua University. This deep mentor-protégé bond made President Huang’s invitation to deliver this lecture especially meaningful. His speech was not only the best way to remember his beloved student but also a continuation and a practical realization of Chen's vision to “contribute to Taiwan’s AI.”

AI Industry Implementation Showcasing STUST’s Practical Spirit

In his speech, President Huang shared practical case studies on how AI vision, AI auditory, and generative AI are applied across various industries, including smart sustainable agriculture, smart manufacturing, smart care, and smart dining. This practical approach was not just a theoretical introduction; it was a clear demonstration of STUST’s commitment to “putting theory into practice.” Drawing on his personal experience, President Huang proved that AI technology only delivers its greatest value when it is truly implemented within an industry.

In addition, President Huang gave a detailed introduction to the AI Maker Hands-On Platform. This platform features a no-code design that allows users to easily build and validate AI models without writing any code. It also integrates GPU servers from multiple partner organizations, forming a shared computing power alliance that provides powerful support for building AI models.

【President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST was demonstrating the use of AR smart glasses during his speech to vividly explain how AI technology can be applied to smart sustainable agriculture. This practical example not only showcased the AI Maker platform's powerful ability to deploy models on various devices but also echoed STUST's determination to promote AI industry implementation.】

Cultivating AI Talent and Continuing an Innovative Spirit

President Nen-Fu Huang expressed his deep honor at being invited to deliver this significant memorial lecture as Sheng-Wei Chen’s mentor. Sheng-Wei was an outstanding student, and his contributions to Taiwan’s AI will forever live in our hearts. His spirit is the driving force behind STUST's continuous progress in AI education. We will continue to use the AI Maker platform to cultivate flexible AI talent for all industries, equipped with hands-on skills and problem-solving abilities."

【President Nen-Fu Huang of STUST showcases his patented "AI Smart Knocking Stick" during his speech. This innovative invention reflects STUST's strong capabilities in AI research and development. Through the AI Maker platform, these advanced technologies can be easily integrated into practical applications, cultivating “flexible AI talent for all industries.”】

After the event, one guest sent a letter praising President Huang’s speech, expressing admiration for how he showed AI could practically solve farmers’ problems. The guest was particularly inspired by the “AI Smart Knocking Stick,” realizing that “using AI to serve others is not that complicated; the essence lies in providing easy-to-use and easy-to-understand solutions.” This feedback perfectly captured President Huang’s core message: “using AI to create change and help more people.” For President Huang, this is the best way to remember Sheng-Wei Chen, and it is also STUST’s best promise for Taiwan's AI future. STUST will continue this mission of innovation and contribution with the spirit of “AI sets sail and STUST leads the Way.”

【President Nen-Fu Huang’s speech at the Taiwan AI Academy Annual Conference not only showcased concrete results of AI industry implementation but also received widespread praise. A guest’s letter afterward praised the president for using hands-on examples like the “AI Smart Knocking Stick” to highlight the core truth that “using AI to serve others is not that complicated.” This speech perfectly embodied President Huang’s core message of “using AI to create change and help more people.”】