Title：AI+HI: What Happens Next Models
Date：2026/07/16 14:00-16:00
Location：博理館 BL101
Speaker：Prof. Hsiao-Wuen Hon
Host：Prof. Ming-Syan Chen
Abstract:
Artificial intelligence is moving from a tool for generating content to a general-purpose engine for cognitive work, and increasingly, to agents that can plan, act, use tools, and learn through feedback. This shift is beginning to reshape software, knowledge work, business models, and competitive advantage. Recent advances in AI coding agents make this especially visible: software development is emerging as the first killer application of enterprise LLM adoption, while also raising broader questions about whether AI may start to “eat software” by compressing or replacing thin layers of traditional SaaS. In this talk, I will trace the long arc of AI from its origins in mimicking human intelligence to today’s era of large language models, agentic systems, and the emerging next wave in infrastructure, edge AI, and embodied AI. I will argue that the most important change is not AI alone, but the changing division of labor between artificial intelligence and human intelligence. As AI takes on more computation, perception, and cognition, the premium rises on distinctly human strengths: judgment, taste, responsibility, context, and wisdom. For business leaders, the central challenge is no longer whether AI will matter, but how to redesign work, organizations, products, and moats for a world in which AI becomes a core operating layer. The future will belong to those who know how to combine AI capability with human judgment.
Bio:
Dr. Hsiao-Wuen Hon is a prominent figure in the technology sector, completing a notable 28-year career at Microsoft. As Corporate Vice President of the Asia-Pacific R&D Group and Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), he guided the company's strategic R&D initiatives across the region, nurturing partnerships with academia and elevating MSRA to a premier research lab, recognized by MIT Technology Review as "the hottest computer science research lab in the world."
Dr. Hon currently serves as a board member of Mediatek and Ambarella, leading innovators in intelligent SoCs for the AI era. An IEEE Fellow, Dr. Hon is renowned for his contributions to speech and natural language technologies, with over 180 technical papers and more than 45 patents to his name. His pioneering research at Microsoft laid the foundation for significant advancements in speech technologies, natural language processing, and internet search. As the founder and manager of the Microsoft Search Technology Center, Dr. Hon was instrumental in developing Microsoft's Bing search engine for the Asia-Pacific market, enhancing the company's stature in the digital search realm. He also made notable contributions to Microsoft's Natural Interaction Service Division, overseeing the development of various innovative products, including the Microsoft Speech Server and the Natural User Interface Platform. Dr. Hon's early career includes a tenure as Technology Director at Apple, leading the Chinese Dictation Kit development. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University. His career is marked by continuous innovation and leadership, significantly impacting the technology industry.
Speaker：Prof. Hsiao-Wuen Hon
Host：Prof. Ming-Syan Chen
Abstract:
Artificial intelligence is moving from a tool for generating content to a general-purpose engine for cognitive work, and increasingly, to agents that can plan, act, use tools, and learn through feedback. This shift is beginning to reshape software, knowledge work, business models, and competitive advantage. Recent advances in AI coding agents make this especially visible: software development is emerging as the first killer application of enterprise LLM adoption, while also raising broader questions about whether AI may start to “eat software” by compressing or replacing thin layers of traditional SaaS. In this talk, I will trace the long arc of AI from its origins in mimicking human intelligence to today’s era of large language models, agentic systems, and the emerging next wave in infrastructure, edge AI, and embodied AI. I will argue that the most important change is not AI alone, but the changing division of labor between artificial intelligence and human intelligence. As AI takes on more computation, perception, and cognition, the premium rises on distinctly human strengths: judgment, taste, responsibility, context, and wisdom. For business leaders, the central challenge is no longer whether AI will matter, but how to redesign work, organizations, products, and moats for a world in which AI becomes a core operating layer. The future will belong to those who know how to combine AI capability with human judgment.
Bio:
Dr. Hsiao-Wuen Hon is a prominent figure in the technology sector, completing a notable 28-year career at Microsoft. As Corporate Vice President of the Asia-Pacific R&D Group and Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), he guided the company's strategic R&D initiatives across the region, nurturing partnerships with academia and elevating MSRA to a premier research lab, recognized by MIT Technology Review as "the hottest computer science research lab in the world."
Dr. Hon currently serves as a board member of Mediatek and Ambarella, leading innovators in intelligent SoCs for the AI era. An IEEE Fellow, Dr. Hon is renowned for his contributions to speech and natural language technologies, with over 180 technical papers and more than 45 patents to his name. His pioneering research at Microsoft laid the foundation for significant advancements in speech technologies, natural language processing, and internet search. As the founder and manager of the Microsoft Search Technology Center, Dr. Hon was instrumental in developing Microsoft's Bing search engine for the Asia-Pacific market, enhancing the company's stature in the digital search realm. He also made notable contributions to Microsoft's Natural Interaction Service Division, overseeing the development of various innovative products, including the Microsoft Speech Server and the Natural User Interface Platform. Dr. Hon's early career includes a tenure as Technology Director at Apple, leading the Chinese Dictation Kit development. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University. His career is marked by continuous innovation and leadership, significantly impacting the technology industry.