Taiwan launches free AI service for homeowners to gauge earthquake damage from photos

Taipei - The government-run National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering announced that a free AI application, "safe and seismic-resistant home AI," will go live on its website before the week ends. Homeowners can upload photos of key structural parts such as beams, columns and walls, and the algorithm, derived from a model trained on 8,000 damage images, will instantly label each component as severely damaged, moderately damaged, or minor/no damage.

Those receiving severe or moderate ratings are urged to seek a certified engineer for a thorough inspection. The system preserves user anonymity and does not collect data for external use, functioning as a rapid-test analogue for home safety. While the AI provides an initial reference, it does not replace professional evaluation or speed up official inspection timelines.

A more sophisticated AI version will also be supplied to the Hualien County government and the Taiwan Residential Earthquake Insurance Fund to aid expert assessments after quakes. Additionally, NCREE has deployed an AI assistant for coordinating firefighting water supplies in Taipei.