A globally recognised civic-tech leader and the world’s first openly non-binary cabinet minister, Ambassador Audrey Tang has been instrumental in positioning Taiwan at the forefront of internet freedom and civic participation. TIME named Tang to its inaugural "100 Most Influential People in AI" list in 2023 for her profound impact on leveraging technology for public good.
Tang was a key contributor to the g0v.tw civic tech community, an initiative that promotes transparency by "forking" government websites into open-source versions preferred by citizens. During the 2014 Sunflower Movement, Tang played a critical role in livestreaming protests against a controversial trade pact, transforming deliberation into a public act of courage, cementing Taiwan’s reputation as Asia’s beacon of freedom
She was instrumental in developing participation platforms like vTaiwan.tw and Join.gov.tw, which directly led to practical policy improvements, including crafting rideshare legislation, streamlining tax filing, and overcoming deepfake ads online.
Her innovative approaches were further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, where her team rapidly developed tools like real-time mask availability maps and privacy-preserving contact tracing, contributing to Taiwan’s acclaimed response that avoided lockdowns while maintaining economic growth. More recently, Tang was key in safeguarding Taiwan's 2024 presidential and legislative elections from foreign cyber interference.
Her vision is captured in her poetic job description:
When we see "internet of things,"
let's make it an INTERNET OF BEINGS.
When we see "virtual reality,"
let's make it a SHARED REALITY.
When we see "machine learning,"
let's make it COLLABORATIVE LEARNING.
When we see "user experience,"
let's make it ABOUT HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
When we hear “the singularity is near” —
let us remember: The PLURALITY is here.
Further information:
www.plurality.net
https://audreyt.org
