Taipei Candidate Urges Review of Humanities Education Amid AI Boom

Taipei City Councilor candidate Chen Yi-chieh is calling for a critical reassessment of the city's humanities education policies, expressing concern over a societal trend that prioritizes technology over the humanities.

Chen highlighted that enrollment in humanities and social science programs at prominent high schools, including Taipei First Girls High School and Chien Kuo High School, has significantly decreased. This decline led to the discontinuation of advanced programs in these fields, with only one school, Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School, still offering such specialized education.

"The decrease in student numbers should not be merely a reason for closure, but a starting point for adjusting educational policies," Chen stated. She questioned whether the education bureau has analyzed the reasons behind students' declining interest in humanities and social sciences and if any improvement plans have been proposed.

While acknowledging the rise of AI and the popularity of STEM fields, Chen emphasized that humanities education is not the antithesis of technology but a vital foundation for its advancement. She argued that the AI era demands interdisciplinary talent, not just tech specialists. Chen pointed to a growing sentiment in international higher education that skills like critical thinking, ethical judgment, and value analysis, cultivated through humanities studies, are becoming increasingly indispensable and difficult for AI to replicate.

Chen warned that a continued lopsided focus on STEM could lead to a future talent deficit in crucial sectors such as public governance, education, culture, media, and international affairs. As the capital, Taipei's educational reforms set a national precedent. She urged the city to comprehensively review student enrollment trends, develop innovative programs like "AI + Humanities" initiatives, and establish mechanisms for cultivating interdisciplinary talent. "AI can accelerate coding, but it cannot replace legal judgment, public governance, diplomatic negotiation, and democratic deliberation," Chen asserted, stressing the need for individuals who can guide, regulate, and utilize AI to solve societal problems.