AI+ Committee to hold first meeting this month for city-wide tech adoption: Financial chief

Hong Kong’s new Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy will hold its first meeting this month as the city pushes to embed AI into daily life, according to Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. 

Aligning with the Budget, Chan said the committee aims to boost AI understanding and use across society, initially focusing on life and health technology, embodied AI, and their application in transport, creative industries, and sustainability. 

In his weekly blog on Sunday, he reported that the committee including experts, academics, enterprises and industry park companies has been established, with the first meeting scheduled for this month. 

To drive city-wide AI adoption, Chan stated that the government has allocated HK$50 million for AI application courses, seminars, and competitions, targeting over 200 events and 50,000 participants within two years.

Meanwhile, an additional HK$300 million will be allocated to boost the Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme (DTSPP), helping small and medium enterprises adopt AI and cybersecurity tools for consumer trend analysis, marketing, and automation. 

Notably, Chan revealed that a mainland embodied AI firm introduced by the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) will open its first overseas autonomous retail store at Hung Hom Promenade, featuring a robot store manager to serve international customers around the clock. 

He described the company's decision to choose Hong Kong as its first overseas stop as recognition of the city's open atmosphere and role as an international showcase for innovation and technology projects. 

Highlighting strong international capital interest in China's lead in emerging industries, Chan said Hong Kong's status as a key fundraising and financing hub will be strengthened, further boosting its appeal to start-ups and tech firms. 

As the government pushes AI development, Chan expressed hope that citizens will experience tangible convenience  while creating new growth drivers for the economy.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓