<div id="readability-page-1">A proposed high-level committee that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) could help tech start-ups in Hong Kong mitigate legal and geopolitical challenges, as well as gain access to important databases for model training, market leaders have said. But the experts also told the South China Morning Post on Thursday that the committee, which was proposed in the latest budget and will be led by the city’s finance chief, would need to involve a diverse panel of experts and be “action-driven” to adapt quickly to the fast-shifting industry. Lawmaker William Wong Kam-fai, who is also a professor of computational linguistics, said he expected the committee would “break down walls” and speed up funding approval processes, delivering faster support to the sector. “AI companies in Hong Kong will need much more computing power and better algorithms to handle big data effectively,” he said. “For example, more companies could be allowed to use supercomputing centres.” Wong was referring to the Cyberport’s own supercomputing centre, which launched in December 2024.     In Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s budget speech on Wednesday, he pledged to establish and chair the “Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy”, which would devise strategies and create favourable conditions for industrial transformation. The committee will include academics and other experts, as well as representatives from enterprises and industry park companies. It will initially focus on life and health technologies and “embodied AI”, a concept that involves AI embedded in physical systems such as robots or devices that can respond to their surroundings. Samuel Lam Hon-yuen, CEO of drone show operator X Social Group, said he believed such a committee could play a key role by channelling opinions among different stakeholders to create better conditions for product commercialisation. He also called for greater diversity in industry committees. “In the past, some leading committees had been dominated by very academic people,” Lam said. “But the AI sector develops extremely fast and urgently needs input from practitioners across different industries – including industry, commerce, academia and research.”  Michael So Chung-shing, founder of the Artificial Intelligence Application Research Society, or the AiX Society, emphasised that the industry was prone to fast changes and stressed the importance of speed for the committee. He said the committee needed to do more than just “talk shop”, but added that finance chief Chan’s role as chairman could ensure the industry was more united, in addition to helping break down departmental barriers and efficiently mobilising resources. “The committee needs to include experts who are active on the front lines of the market and establish a rapid-response mechanism to translate the latest global technological trends, such as embodied AI, into policies that fit Hong Kong’s context,” So said. “We need to be able to quickly attract leading companies and provide them with application scenarios to seize the first-mover advantage.” Lawmaker Wong highlighted significant regulatory obstacles in advancing life and health technology, as well as embodied AI. “The government could use the committee to coordinate regulatory sandboxes in the future,” he suggested, explaining that such initiatives would gather industry experiences across different application scenarios to help revise laws and address safety and legal concerns. Wong said he believed the committee would also establish direct communication channels with mainland Chinese authorities, making it easier for Hong Kong companies to liaise directly with their counterparts across the border.</div>

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<p>A proposed AI committee in Hong Kong aims to assist tech start-ups in overcoming legal and geopolitical challenges while accessing crucial databases for model training. Led by the finance chief, the committee will include diverse experts and focus on life and health technologies, as well as embodied AI. Industry leaders emphasize the need for rapid adaptation and direct communication with mainland authorities to facilitate funding and regulatory processes. The committee is expected to enhance collaboration among stakeholders and streamline product commercialization in the fast-evolving AI sector.</p>

南华早报

GX HS TECH

ISHARESHSTECH

HSTECH ETF

Tianhong Hang Seng TECH ETF(QDII)

Hang Seng TECH ETF I

GX CN ROBO&AI

CSOP HS TECH

Hang Seng Composite Index

Hang Seng Index

ChinaAMC Hang Seng Technology ETF(QDII)

AI committee can help Hong Kong start-ups ‘tackle legal, geopolitical hurdles’