YesinLaw Attorney Chen Yeh-Sin Speaks at Business Today’s 30th Anniversary Forum “Taiwan’s Great Future”

Attorney Chen Yeh-Sin of YesinLaw was invited to speak at Business Today’s 30th Anniversary Forum, “Taiwan’s Great Future,” where he delivered a keynote presentation titled “Key Labor Relations Strategies in the Age of Technological Prosperity.”

Drawing on his extensive experience in labor and employment law, Attorney Chen discussed how AI, semiconductor development, and emerging technologies are reshaping labor markets, workplace relations, and the future of employment in Taiwan.

Rethinking Winners and Losers in the Age of Technology

Attorney Chen opened his remarks by inviting the audience to consider a fundamental question: in this era of technological prosperity, who are the winners and who are the losers?

He observed that, while many people around the world still lack access to basic infrastructure such as clean drinking water and sanitation, people in Taiwan are able to sit in well-equipped venues discussing AI and use AI applications directly from their smartphones. In that sense, Taiwan is already among the most fortunate societies in the world.

However, Attorney Chen emphasized that technological advantage also brings new responsibilities. The central issue is not only whether society can benefit from AI, but whether workers, employers, and institutions can adapt quickly enough to avoid being left behind.

AI Is Already Reshaping Labor Relations

Attorney Chen noted that AI is no longer a future issue. It is already redefining work and changing the relationship between economic growth and employment growth.

He discussed examples from leading global technology companies, including Cloudflare and Meta, to illustrate how companies can continue to grow revenue while reducing headcount or reorganizing human roles around AI tools and automation.

From an employer’s perspective, Attorney Chen explained, the decision to hire additional entry-level employees may increasingly be compared against the option of deploying AI tools. This shift is placing pressure on traditional employment models and forcing companies to reconsider how work should be organized.

Technology Talent Concentration and Labor Shortages Across Other Sectors

Attorney Chen also addressed the impact of the technology boom on Taiwan’s broader labor market.

As semiconductor and AI-related industries attract large numbers of skilled workers, many traditional industries are facing severe labor shortages. He noted that this phenomenon can be seen in restaurants, manufacturing, services, and even schools.

In particular, Attorney Chen pointed to the shortage of science teachers in elite high schools as an example of basic economic logic. Graduates in physics, chemistry, and related fields can often obtain significantly higher compensation in the semiconductor industry, while also avoiding the pressures associated with teaching, including interaction with demanding parents.

This reflects a deeper structural shift in Taiwan’s labor market: as technology industries offer stronger economic incentives, other sectors must confront the challenge of attracting and retaining talent.

Collective Labor Relations in the Technology Sector

Attorney Chen further discussed the rise of collective labor issues in the technology sector.

Using recent developments in South Korea’s semiconductor industry as an example, he explained how employee concerns over profit-sharing, working conditions, and corporate growth can develop into union activity and labor disputes.

He also noted that Taiwan may face both internal and external pressure regarding freedom of association and collective labor rights. As international trade arrangements increasingly incorporate labor standards, Taiwanese enterprises, including small and medium-sized businesses, may need to prepare for a more active collective labor environment.

For employers, this means that labor relations can no longer be treated only as an internal HR matter. They are becoming part of corporate governance, supply chain compliance, ESG risk management, and international competitiveness.

Human Value in the AI Era

Toward the conclusion of his speech, Attorney Chen reflected on the broader social meaning of AI development.

He referred to recent global discussions on the ethical development of AI and emphasized that technology should remain connected to human dignity, empathy, and social responsibility.

Attorney Chen also used the biblical story of the Tower of Babel as a metaphor for technological ambition. He invited the audience to consider whether modern society is building a new technological tower driven by arrogance, or whether it can rebuild an order grounded in human value and social responsibility.

Looking Ahead to the Next Thirty Years

Attorney Chen noted that Business Today has witnessed and participated in many of Taiwan’s major social transformations over the past three decades. As Taiwan enters the next stage of technological and economic change, labor autonomy, workforce transformation, and the legal architecture of employment relations will become increasingly important public issues.

He emphasized that workers must identify their unique value as human contributors in an AI-driven economy. At the same time, employers must prepare for a new labor landscape in which technological efficiency, human dignity, and legal compliance must be carefully balanced.

YesinLaw will continue to assist enterprises in addressing labor law compliance, workplace governance, collective labor relations, and employment risk management in response to these structural changes.

YesinLawTel: 02-25156822Website: https://www.yesinlaw.com

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