New research institute to ramp up efforts as Hong Kong pursues ‘AI for all’

AdvertisementHong Kong economyHong KongHong Kong EconomyNew research institute to ramp up efforts as Hong Kong pursues ‘AI for all’Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute’s first meeting will be held as early as this month to formulate city’s AI road map3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenOscar LiuPublished: 8:30am, 8 Apr 2026A new research institute in Hong Kong is set to ramp up efforts to develop “AI for all” as early as this month, mapping out a strategy to strengthen the government’s capabilities while ensuring all residents and sectors benefit from the technology, a senior official has said.Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kevin Choi Kit-ming said one of the priorities of the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute would be to integrate a locally developed large language model into a broader strategy.“I hope the [institute’s] first meeting can start in April or May,” Choi told the South China Morning Post. “It will mainly focus on facilitating the full research and development [R&D] chain – moving from upstream academic research to midstream and downstream transformation into practical industrial applications.”AdvertisementFinancial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po first announced the institute’s establishment, backed by a HK$1 billion (US$127.6 million) investment, in his budget in February.Authorities earlier appointed a 14-member board of directors to the institute, with Professor Harry Shum Heung-yeung as chairman and Hendrick Sin as his deputy.AdvertisementShum, an adjunct professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), is a renowned computer scientist who has made transformative contributions to artificial intelligence (AI) and industrial development, having spent nearly 24 years at Microsoft.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x