Hong Kong unveils HKGAI V1: A milestone in local AI development

Hong Kong has launched the HKGAI V1 large language model (LLM), its first locally-developed generative artificial intelligence, trained with the assistance of Chinese AI firm DeepSeek.

This innovative technology powers a ChatGPT-style chatbot capable of answering users’ questions in real-time on topics such as the SAR government structure and cinema schedules, supporting Cantonese, Putonghua, and English.

At the launch ceremony on Tuesday, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Sun Dong, hailed the development of Hong Kong’s own generative AI tool, which took just one and a half years to create, as a legendary achievement in the SAR's innovation and technology landscape.

He said that the collaboration between DeepSeek's model and HKGAI exemplifies the one country, two systems governing principle.

The homemade AI tool is already being utilized by over 70 government departments.

“I hope the Hong Kong-developed LLM can be made available to industries and citizens as soon as possible. At the same time, I hope that this platform can be utilized in the future to serve tens of millions of overseas Chinese,” Sun added.

HKGAI V1 is developed by the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center, a government-backed joint-university collaborative venture led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Developers describe the Hong Kong-made AI system as the first localization of DeepSeek in the SAR, aiming to inject new momentum into the city’s AI ecosystem.

The model will soon be made open-source for local residents and developers.

HKUST Provost Guo Yike, who heads the R&D center, said: “We believe HKGAI V1 will become an important force contributing to Hong Kong’s digitalization and the global development of artificial intelligence.”

(Jamie Liu)