Emerging technologies are reshaping global politics, economies, and societies. The challenge today is not only to harness innovation for progress but also to mitigate its negative impacts and ensure it serves social well-being. Addressing this requires an interdisciplinary, human-centered policy perspective that can evaluate and respond to technology’s impact on democracy and society.
Taiwan, facing the spread of digital authoritarianism, must craft governance strategies that protect democratic institutions, strengthen national security, and promote social equity.
The Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET), established under the National Science and Technology Council, was created to meet this mission. As a national think tank, DSET provides evidence-based policy recommendations on emerging technologies, grounded in democratic and societal needs, while sharing Taiwan’s unique perspective with the global community.
Our vision rests on five guiding principles—democracy, inclusiveness, sustainability, resilience, and innovation—to direct technological development toward advancing public good and affirming the value of democracy.
Our name is abbreviated as “DSET.” We prioritize “D” for Democracy, reflecting democracy as the central focus of our policy research.
Through exchanges with key think tanks and research institutions both domestically and internationally, we focus on exploring the geopolitics, and the impact of digital authoritarianism on international relations, internal social control, and democratic systems. Through this, we aim to establish a network of issues that are transnational and cross-sectoral with a democratic viewpoint.
Through cross-domain cooperation and exchanges among industry, government, academia, and civil society, we focus on emerging technology issues of significant importance to Taiwan that have not yet been fully addressed. We propose policy analysis reports and recommendations that help maintain the democratic and free system, strengthen national security, and promote social equality.
Starting with the interplay between technological development and application on democratic governance and civil society, we cultivate intergenerational and interdisciplinary talents by establishing a research network of overseas doctoral scholars. This enriches our pool of governance talents with a vision for technology democracy.
Foreign media outlets include: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Economist, Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, The Guardian, CNN, and others.
Relevant organizations include: RAND Corporation, CSIS, Brookings, Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), Heritage Foundation, Stanford University, Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG), European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), the AI Security Institute (AISI), and others.
Including: report publications, forums, seminars, and Tabletop Exercise
Founded in 2023, the national think tank DSET not only focuses on policy research in geopolitics and technology, providing strategic advice to the government and allied nations, but has also built Track 1.5 diplomatic engagements in Japan, South Korea, Washington, and Europe, continually advancing Taiwan’s international cooperation in techno-geopolitics.
With rising global geopolitical uncertainty, the world economy also faces heightened instability. While the development of the technology industry is a critical economic issue, it inevitably carries political and social implications as well. Taiwan cannot only focus on maintaining technological leadership in industry; it must also draw on perspectives from the humanities and social sciences to anticipate shifts early and develop appropriate policy responses.
The establishment of the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET) reflects this mission. We examine the interconnections among technological innovation, industrial development, geopolitics, and economic security through an interdisciplinary team, producing evidence-based policy analyses to help stakeholders respond to fast-changing external challenges.
Our center actively collaborates with research institutions such as the Industrial Technology Research Institute, Institute for Information Industry, and National Defense and Security Research, while strengthening engagement with international think tanks. We aim to propose forward-looking policy solutions that address the societal and democratic impacts of technology. At the same time, we encourage participation and feedback from all sectors of society, working together to explore how technology, democracy, and society can achieve balance and shared prosperity.
In carrying forward the founding mission of the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET), I strongly feel the responsibilities entrusted to us in this era. Globalization and emerging technologies bring both opportunities and challenges; technology alone cannot solve every problem and must be combined with perspectives from the humanities and social sciences.
DSET advances three core missions: providing interdisciplinary policy recommendations, cultivating cross-generational talent, and promoting democratic perspectives across borders. Our research spans semiconductors, artificial intelligence, net-zero technologies, and dual-use innovations, addressing their implications for economic security, energy resilience, national security, and democratic governance. We also examine how geopolitics and authoritarian regimes challenge technological development and the sustainability of democratic societies.
As a national-level think tank, DSET’s researchers are dedicated to both specialized and cross-disciplinary studies. With forward-looking vision and evidence-based policy analysis, we aim to respond to the profound transformations of the global techno-geopolitical era. At the same time, through collaboration and exchange with international policy institutes, we seek to share Taiwan’s perspectives and experiences in technology and democratic governance, contributing to the advancement of democracy worldwide.
