South Korea is treating AI transformation as a future test of manufacturing competitiveness. The challenge now is not only installing smart systems, but converting frontline workers’ tacit knowledge into standardized data that machines can use. For global industries, the outcome could shape how factories raise quality, productivity, and resilience.

Yageo chairman Pierre Chen, who has become Taiwan’s richest man, reiterated at the company’s recent shareholders meeting that the group will not sit out opportunities in the AI applications market. He said Yageo will continue its long-running merger-and-acquisition strategy to drive transformation, raise product technology levels, and expand its full-spectrum integrated solutions.

Nan Ya Plastics announced at its May 29 shareholders meeting that it would pivot into three new business areas — medical materials, semiconductor materials, and comprehensive power solutions — as part of a broader transformation planned for 2026 and 2027. Chairman Chia-Chau Wu said the move aims to raise the share of electronic materials in group revenue from just over 50% today to about 60% by 2026, driven by demand from AI infrastructure and high-performance computing.