AI Boom Reshapes Taiwan University Choices as Electrical Engineering Gains

Taiwan’s artificial-intelligence and semiconductor boom is reshaping how science-track students rank university majors. The prospect of annual pay exceeding NT$1 million at technology companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has strengthened demand for electrical engineering, a gateway to chip design, manufacturing and hardware development. The salary pull is also prompting some students to reconsider medicine, where training is longer and the financial rewards arrive later.

The latest admissions trend points to higher demand and rising entry thresholds for electrical-engineering programs, while computer science faces pressure from concern that generative AI can automate routine coding and displace junior developers. Universities are responding by shifting emphasis beyond basic programming toward algorithms, systems architecture, AI integration and interdisciplinary problem-solving. The divergence suggests students increasingly view hardware expertise as relatively scarce, while treating entry-level software skills as more exposed to automation.