At this year's Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwanese electronics giant Asus shifted its focus beyond consumer hardware to unveil an ambitious vision for urban governance. The company's co-CEO, Samson Hu, outlined plans to transform Taiwan into an "AI city" — a model that could be replicated across Europe and beyond.
"Taiwan's ecosystem across semiconductors, systems, infrastructure and manufacturing really positions it to lead the shift — not only in cloud AI but also in edge AI streaming computing," Hu told Euronews Next. "We see Taiwan becoming the AI city and the AI ecosystem hub. And ASUS will play a key role in connecting infrastructure, devices, and real-world application experiences."
The AI City framework, first presented at the Smart City Summit & Expo in Taipei in March, integrates solutions for smart transportation, healthcare, public security, and sustainable governance into a single exportable blueprint. Hu emphasised that the approach makes governance "predictive, not reactive," with implications for traffic management, energy efficiency, and public safety.
Asus has already formed alliances with city governments across Europe and is collaborating with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Paris on smart infrastructure initiatives. "The [international] response is quite good," Hu noted, though specific European cities were not named.
New Hardware: Nvidia RTX Spark Laptops
Alongside the AI City announcement, Asus showcased its latest laptops — though with unusual secrecy. The ProArt P16 and P14 models are powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark chip, which Hu claims delivers up to ten times the performance-per-watt of its predecessor. The devices are designed to run agentic AI applications smoothly on the PC side.
No pricing has been announced, and even media representatives were barred from viewing the screens. Asus is one of several manufacturers adopting the RTX Spark chip; Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft Surface, MSI, Acer, and Gigabyte are also integrating it into their products.
To differentiate its offerings, Asus is developing in-house AI application tools called Muse, Story Cube, and Muse Tree, which Hu said are intended to boost creativity. The company also introduced the Asus Zenni Claw, a unified AI ecosystem that promises safe, controlled, and reliable end-to-end AI experiences across consumer, commercial, creator, and gaming hardware.
Hu expressed particular enthusiasm for agentic AI — automated systems that can accomplish tasks with minimal human supervision. He sketched a roadmap where physical AI, referring to robots that can perceive and act in the real world, would follow as "a very exciting trend."
The developments come as the European Union pushes for greater tech sovereignty. Brussels recently unveiled a plan to reduce dependence on US and Chinese technology, a context that could make Asus's European partnerships strategically significant. Meanwhile, Nvidia's Jensen Huang outlined similar AI PC ambitions at GTC Taipei, underscoring the competitive landscape.
For European cities grappling with aging infrastructure and climate goals, the prospect of predictive governance through AI may offer tangible benefits — if Asus can deliver on its promises and navigate the continent's regulatory environment.
