Taiwan's chip industry sees AI demand far outstripping supply, a good problem for chipmakers but a test of how fast the island can build.

• ASE boss Tien Wu says AI today mostly repackages what people already know; the real payoff comes when it links fields like drugs, chemistry and medicine to do things nobody has done before.
• He puts the long-term upside at hundreds to thousands of times what AI delivers now, if Taiwan speeds up its AI infrastructure.
• Global AI demand is strong and Taiwan cannot supply enough, leaving the industry a choice between raising prices or building more capacity.
• Sitting at the center of the world's chip supply chain, Taiwan should stay humble and work with global partners rather than squeeze customers.

Outlook: Expect Taiwan's chip suppliers to keep pouring money into capacity as the AI shortage drags on, with pricing pressure the near-term question.