Over 78 percent of youngsters have used generative artificial intelligence like ChatGPT, with most believing AI is an irreversible trend, a survey has found.

Youth IDEAS, under the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups' Youth Research Centre, therefore urged the administration to set up guidelines to regulate AI.

The research gathered responses from 558 online questionnaires covering people aged 15 to 34, with 18 being interviewed along with seven scholars from June to July this year.

The seven scholars included technology and innovation legislator Duncan Chiu Tat-kun and Microsoft Hong Kong national technology officer Fred Sheu.

The study revealed that 78 percent of youngsters, or 439, had used generative AI. Thirty-three percent used it for learning and 15 percent for working.

Generative AI rated 6.9 out of 10 for whether or not it would enhance learning and work, demonstrating its value to students and professionals.

The technology was used for three main reasons: improving work efficiency, providing convenience in research, and generating ideas.

Louis Li Chi-yin, a member of the employment and the economy group of Youth IDEAS, said 300 million positions worldwide face the possibility of being replaced by AI, and Hong Kong is no exception.

"A report by Goldman Sachs estimated Hong Kong will lose 30 percent of full-time jobs, the most among developed regions," Li said.

Keith Leung Wai-kei, a member of the employment and economy group, said the increasing application of generative AI will be an ongoing trend that is inevitable in the workplace.

"Young people are not worried about being replaced by AI at present, but it still brings uncertainties to the fields where they work or will work in the future," Leung said. He believes the strength of AI is its ability to process a large amount of data, and this makes white-collar jobs more likely to be replaced by it.

"AI was widely used among big companies and in the educational field to reduce the administrative workload," he added.

To address the situation, Tony Lau Hon-yiu, convener of the employment and the economy group, believes authorities should step up and advance technology work.

"Replacement in work and the change of economic model are influences led by AI," he said. "Places including the European Union, China and the United States have set up committees to conduct policy research on AI."

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said in February that the SAR administration intended to establish a supervisory committee.

Lau urged the administration to set up a special committee in monitoring the development of AI and to collect the views from various fields.

YouthIDEAS members release the survey findings.

Youth group urges guidelines on AI regulation