Taiwan’s temples embrace AI to boost tourism, preserve tradition
Participants engage with hands-on activities, including an AI bartender, at the Taiwan Tourism Administration booth during Smart City Summit and Expo 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan, March 19. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-hyun
TAIPEI — Taiwan is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to make its traditional culture more accessible, using new technology to attract both foreign visitors and younger generations.
Taiwan’s Tourism Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) showcased how AI can be integrated into tourism policy while preserving cultural authenticity at Smart City Summit and Expo 2026, held in the Nangang District of Taipei.
The exhibition drew strong attention, with hands-on booths featuring AI-powered experiences — including an AI bartender and AI perfumer — attracting large numbers of visitors.
The initiative seeks to combine Taiwan’s traditional temple culture and fortune-telling practices with AI to improve accessibility for younger generations and foreign tourists.
“We are showcasing how AI is not replacing humans, but helping preserve authentic culture, such as fortune telling, through integrated systems,” a Tourism Administration official said.
Taiwan is home to more than 15,000 temples, but many are staffed primarily by older generations, with fewer young people willing to carry on the tradition. To address this generational and labor gap, authorities are working with hundreds of temples and fortune tellers to introduce AI-assisted systems designed not only to automate processes, but also to help preserve traditional practices.
These efforts include the introduction of digital fortune-telling tools at temples, enabling both local and international visitors to experience traditional beliefs through accessible, technology-enabled formats. The AI-generated results are reviewed and validated by human fortune tellers, ensuring the preservation of cultural authenticity.
For example, Wude Temple in Beigang, Yunlin county, has pioneered the use of AI to interpret so-called “heavenly advice,” an ancient form of spirit writing. Unlike drawing preprinted fortune slips, the practice involves a more direct process in which a deity is believed to communicate through a human medium.
Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications set up a booth showcasing technologies for seniors at Smart City Summit and Expo 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan, March 19. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-hyun
To keep the tradition alive in the modern era, the temple has introduced AI systems that can read complex handwritten scripts, translate classical Chinese into easy-to-understand modern language, and preserve interpretation methods as the number of experienced practitioners continues to decline.
Officials noted that gaining acceptance among older practitioners required sustained persuasion, as many were initially reluctant to adopt new technologies.
“By improving accessibility through technology and allowing people to experience Taiwan’s traditional culture online, it can also drive demand for in-person visits and contribute to tourism,” the official said.
Some temples have introduced AI-guided tutorials that provide step-by-step instructions on rituals, making it easier for first-time visitors to take part.
The government is also seeking to expand AI-based tourism services through collaboration with private companies, as well as integrating technology into travel infrastructure through the MOTC’s Tourism Administration.
Beyond basic public transportation information, digital platforms now provide detailed guidance — including the location of elevators and amenities within stations — to improve accessibility for foreign visitors, elderly travelers and other users.
For seniors, the ministry has established age-friendly tourism and medical pilot sites, providing integrated transit and guidance information.
A staff member at the ministry’s booth said the measures are part of a broader effort to enhance safety, convenience and inclusivity in Taiwan’s tourism ecosystem through technology.