HK’s manpower shortage to narrow to 130,000 by 2028 as AI boosts productivity

Hong Kong’s overall manpower shortage is projected to narrow to about 130,000 by 2028 under the influence of artificial intelligence, according to the government’s latest manpower projection.

Roy Chan Kwok-fai, head of the Labour and Welfare Bureau's research unit, said the narrowing gap was due to economic restructuring and the adoption of artificial intelligence, which is expected to raise productivity and slow the growth of labor demand.

He estimated that 60 percent of job vacancies by then would be concentrated in frontline positions, such as service and technical staff, spanning sectors including city operations, healthcare, international innovation and technology, and international aviation.

Meanwhile, Chan said authorities expected the chance of major layoffs over the next three years to be relatively low. However, the scope of work for 20 to 30 percent of positions could change. 

Citing research, he said 90 percent of enterprises plan to integrate AI into daily operations. 

He believed small and medium-sized enterprises would adopt AI at an increasingly fast pace, breaking development barriers and creating more new opportunities.

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