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In the era of artificial intelligence, governments, organizations, and ordinary workers alike are harnessing AI to boost efficiency. The Legislative Council (LegCo) has been at the forefront of this trend, partnering with mainland AI giant iFlytek two years ago to launch the "Intelligent Transcription System.”
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This intelligent speech-to-text technology has revolutionized the process of recording LegCo meetings, greatly improving the efficiency and accuracy of meeting minutes. Now, the system is set for another upgrade, with real-time subtitles expected to be introduced soon during general council meetings—even when lawmakers speak in a blend of Cantonese and English or with less-than-perfect pronunciation.
Recognizes speakers by voice
Currently, the system can transcribe and edit speeches in real time, with the LegCo Secretariat making behind-the-scenes corrections for typos or homophones
The system is widely used in both general council and committee meetings. It can quickly translate spoken Cantonese into formal written language, identify speakers by voice, and support bilingual transcription.
On-the-spot corrections for errors
LegCo President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen recently noted that the system has become increasingly sophisticated, with transcription accuracy rising from about 93 percent to nearly 96 percent.
After meeting with iFlytek Vice President Wang Wei to discuss further AI enhancements, Leung announced that real-time subtitles are being tested and are expected to launch soon during live broadcasts of council meetings.
During these tests, the system transcribes speeches from lawmakers, officials, and other participants, instantly converting Cantonese into written Chinese for the subtitle system.
If a serious error appears—such as a mistranscription, number mistake, or speaker slip—the Secretariat can immediately correct it behind the scenes. Staff can also refine subtitles for readability and completeness when lawmakers read from scripts with unclear pauses.
Given Hong Kong’s unique linguistic culture, where code-switching between Cantonese and English is common, the subtitles will reflect all spoken content.
If a speaker uses only English, the subtitles will appear in English. The real-time subtitles, along with live meeting broadcasts, will be available on the LegCo website and mobile app.
Cantonese with an accent not a problem
Jesse Shang Hailong, a lawmaker with a background in innovation and technology, praised the move as a bold step forward.
He noted that real-time subtitles have been technically feasible since 2011, but LegCo’s decision to use them in meetings—especially those involving multiple languages and lawmakers with varying Cantonese proficiency—is a sign of innovation.
With 89 lawmakers speaking, the AI can be continuously trained to recognize different accents and contextual cues, making subtitle accuracy “very satisfactory,” he said.
Minor errors, he added, are not a major concern. Shang joked that the AI has never misidentified his voice or content - proof that his Cantonese "isn’t that bad."
The system recently won an award for AI application, with iFlytek chairman and founder Liu Qingfeng promoting the system at various events, proudly stating that even "highly non-standard" Cantonese can be converted into standard written form.
He even cited lawmaker Wendy Hong Wen, known for her "average" Cantonese, as an example.
When asked for a comment, the lawmaker Hung herself said she isn’t worried about being laughed at, and even believes the AI is "more accurate than human beings."
She shared that her own pronunciation was used to train the system’s Cantonese recognition, and she is confident that real-time subtitles will help the public better understand her speeches—focusing on content rather than accent.
Whether it’s handling unique accents or correcting misused idioms, the introduction of real-time subtitles will undoubtedly help the public better understand LegCo proceedings.
Still, to truly engage society, lawmakers and officials must continue to improve the quality of their speeches.
(Marco Lam)
