Google Expands Taiwan Presence With New AI Engineering Centre
By Axel Miller | 20 Nov 2025
Google has opened a major new AI infrastructure hardware engineering centre in Taiwan—its largest outside the United States—marking a significant boost to the island’s standing in the global technology supply chain. Taiwan’s president described the move as a strong vote of confidence in the island’s reputation as a reliable and secure technology partner.
The island already plays an outsized role in the global semiconductor ecosystem thanks to TSMC, the world’s top contract chipmaker and a core supplier to companies such as Nvidia, which continues to power the worldwide surge in artificial intelligence demand. Against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions with China, Taiwan has been eager to highlight its deep collaboration with leading U.S. tech companies.
Taiwanese officials have repeatedly cautioned local businesses about the security risks posed by Chinese-developed AI systems, specifically citing platforms like DeepSeek, while Beijing has rejected those concerns. For Taipei, Google’s growing presence reinforces the island’s positioning as a trusted centre for next-generation technologies.
A Strategic Investment in AI Infrastructure
At the opening ceremony, President Lai Ching-te said the new facility underscores Taiwan’s critical role not only in the global tech manufacturing network but also in the development of secure, dependable AI systems. Raymond Greene, the de facto U.S. ambassador in Taipei, echoed that sentiment, calling the investment a sign of a "new golden age" in U.S.–Taiwan economic ties.
The centre will focus mainly on engineering work that integrates chips—including Google’s own TPU processors—onto motherboards and connects them into large-scale server systems, according to Greg Moore, Google Cloud’s director of platforms development.
Google first established its Taiwan infrastructure engineering team in 2020, and its headcount has since tripled. Several hundred employees will be based at the new site. The company already operates two other facilities on the island focused on consumer electronics hardware and has run a data centre there since 2013, complemented by investments in international subsea cables.
Aamer Mahmood, Google Cloud’s vice president for platforms infrastructure engineering, said the expansion represents far more than real estate. It signals Google’s long-term commitment to Taiwan as an essential hub for global AI innovation and ecosystem development.
Summary:
Google’s new AI engineering centre in Taiwan marks one of its largest overseas technology investments and strengthens the island’s strategic role in global AI development. The move highlights deepening U.S.–Taiwan tech ties, reinforces Taiwan’s position in the semiconductor and AI supply chain, and underscores the growing demand for secure, scalable AI infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the purpose of Google’s new AI engineering centre in Taiwan?
The centre focuses on designing and integrating AI infrastructure hardware—specifically attaching chips, including Google’s TPU processors, to motherboards and large-scale servers.
2. Why is Taiwan significant in the global AI and semiconductor ecosystem?
Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world’s leading contract chipmaker and a key supplier to companies such as Nvidia. Its semiconductor industry plays a central role in powering the global AI boom.
3. How does this investment impact U.S.–Taiwan tech relations?
The new centre is seen as a major reinforcement of their long-standing technology partnership, signaling deeper economic ties and shared interests in secure, advanced AI development.
4. What concerns has Taiwan raised about Chinese AI systems?
Taiwanese authorities have warned about potential security risks linked to Chinese-developed AI platforms, including DeepSeek. Beijing has dismissed these claims.
5. How large is Google’s operational presence in Taiwan?
Google operates multiple hardware development centres, a data centre established in 2013, and has made significant investments in subsea cable infrastructure. Its engineering team in Taiwan has tripled since 2020.
6. What type of work will be done at the new facility?
The centre will handle chip integration, motherboard engineering, and server-level assembly—core processes required to power AI data centres and cloud computing workloads.
7. How many employees will work at the new Google AI centre?
Several hundred staff members will be employed, marking one of Google’s largest overseas engineering footprints.
8. Why is this expansion important for the AI industry?
It strengthens the global supply chain for AI hardware, supports demand for advanced compute infrastructure, and enhances collaborative innovation between U.S. tech leaders and Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem.
9. What long-term benefits does Google expect from this investment?
Google views Taiwan as a strategic hub for AI innovation, hardware engineering talent, and secure infrastructure development—foundation elements needed for global AI scale-up.
10. How does this development position Taiwan in the global AI landscape?
The investment reinforces Taiwan’s status as a trusted technology partner and a critical node in the world’s AI, semiconductor, and cloud infrastructure networks.
