On the evening of August 15th at 6:30 p.m., “Silicon Valley Night” (SV9), the second episode of a panel discussion, took place at the Midpen Media Center in Palo Alto. Organized by Sparknify, the event featured special guests including Taiwan’s Eastern Television Financial Channel anchor Hong Pei Yu, Silicon Valley engineer and YouTuber Kelly Tsai, venture capital expert IC Chan Yijian, and senior project manager at a high-tech company, George Hsieh. The four elites gathered to delve into the cultural differences in the workplace between Taiwan and the United States, as well as the new landscape of the industry in the AI era.
Hong Pei Yu kicked off the event with a presentation titled “Beauty and the Intercom,” holding the intercom with a smile to connect the three Silicon Valley elites, sparking a trans-Pacific intellectual symphony. She shared her journey from being a field reporter to an anchor, covering news in various fields such as electronics, technology, and automobiles, humbly acknowledging the audience as the true insightful individuals present. George Hsieh revealed his early start in programming at the age of nine, with experiences at Apple and Samsung, while indulging in tabletop games and walks in the forest during leisure time. IC Chan Yijian founded Taiwan Global Angels and has invested over $20 million in three years to weave connections between America and Taiwan. Kelly Tsai, a UC Berkeley graduate turned software engineer, also runs a YouTube channel, sharing bits of technology and life in her spare time. Despite hailing from the same homeland of Taiwan, the four shone brightly in Silicon Valley, igniting cultural sparks.
The discussion quickly transitioned to the differences in workplace culture. Hong Pei Yu brought up the reference to NVIDIA founder Huang Renxun’s philosophy of “Familial Heaven on Earth” to explore the cultural gap between Taiwan and America. Kelly Tsai candidly expressed that the American workplace encourages the display of personality, with no barriers based on seniority, and even newcomers are listened to, contrasting starkly with the reserved nature of Taiwan. IC added that Americans address their bosses by their first names, with decision-making as the essence of meetings, while the concept of “Familial Heaven on Earth” in the West often transforms into trusts, advocating for public welfare over hereditary succession. George Hsieh pointed out that Americans value autonomy and privacy in taking leave, whereas in Taiwan, probing personal affairs is common, reflecting differences in management styles.
Shifting the focus to the AI wave, Hong Pei Yu shared anecdotes from her interview with Huang Renxun: media using tools like Flightradar24 to track airplanes, capturing the charm of AI leaders at night markets, and probing the industry’s transformations. IC analyzed that after the ChatGPT trend, AI startups are attracting extreme funding, with 40% of American venture capital flowing into just 10% of companies in the second quarter of 2025, allowing TSMC to rise in prominence and rekindling the brilliance of Taiwan-America cooperation. Kelly Tsai noted that AI accelerates MVP development, requiring precise positioning for competition, with Y Combinator favoring AI applications. George Hsieh cautioned that while AI tools aid senior engineers in efficiency, they may compress opportunities for newcomers.
In terms of startup trends, IC emphasized that AI extends beyond software, with autonomous driving and sensors stirring hearts, with their invested temperature sensing company utilizing AI to optimize air conditioning, showcasing Taiwan’s limitless hardware potential. Kelly Tsai shared her friend’s endeavor of resigning to start a business using AI to schedule tasks for plumbers and electricians, while George Hsieh observed that internal AI innovation within companies garners attention. Hong Pei Yu delved into the topic of a multi-faceted lifestyle, where the four shared their experiences: Kelly finding solace in YouTube as a stress reliever and a platform to disseminate AI intelligence; IC honing listening skills through a podcast while balancing networks and connections to Taiwan; and George Hsieh immersing himself in communities, weaving a joyful network of connections.
The Q&A segment was lively, with producer Chanel Chan exploring the ecosystem with female anchors. Hong Pei Yu humorously mentioned that while there are wealthy anchor cases, most people are toiling day and night, with AI gradually replacing some reporting tasks. IC added that frontline anchors often miss family reunions. When asked about interview secrets with Huang Renxun, Hong Pei Yu unveiled his approachability and revealed that discussions in Taiwanese and food topics easily ignite interactions. Does AI shorten the skill gap? Kelly Tsai and IC believed that while AI accelerates learning, it widens differentiation, requiring all-around leadership from experts; George Hsieh pointed out that AI lowers the coding threshold, highlighting creative divergences. Regarding the impact of US-China relations, IC analyzed the retreat of Chinese capital, replaced by Japanese and Korean investments, AI topics attracting funding, necessitating a transformation for non-AI sectors.
In the discussion about the future of robots, the three expressed optimism, emphasizing energy efficiency and data as key elements, with Tesla leading the charge and Taiwan’s hardware sector poised to excel. The SV9 panel discussion concluded amidst warm applause, with attendees and guests posing for a heartwarming photo. After the event, the audience bid farewell, surrounding Hong Pei Yu, Kelly Tsai, IC Chan Yijian, and George Hsieh, engaging in eager discussions on workplace and lecture-related professional issues, parting ways while promising to meet again.