Technology must ultimately serve the society as a whole, Hong Kong’s finance chief said on Tuesday, stressing it is vital that artificial intelligence and robotics are developed and deployed responsibly, with transparency, fairness and respect for privacy and human dignity.
Paul Chan Mo-po made the statement while offering highlights on AI development work in the special administrative region at the Lenovo Tech World 2026 Hong Kong, according to a government statement.
The SAR government has begun work on new frameworks for AI governance, including in financial services, he said. “As new technologies and applications emerge, we will continue to refine our policies and regulatory approaches in close dialogue with stakeholders at home and abroad.”
Referring to the “breathtaking pace” AI is developing, he said everyone must recognize the concerns it brings: the impact on jobs, scams and misinformation created or amplified by AI. “We must therefore embrace AI with confidence and care,” he added.
The financial secretary said Hong Kong shares exactly the same AI+ vision as the nation, referring to the national 15th Five-Year Plan’s emphasis that AI should be used to empower economic and social development and enhance governance capabilities, promoting deep transformations in modes of production and enabling revolutionary leaps in productivity.
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Pointing out the SAR’s unique advantages in developing AI, he said, “Under the 'one country, two systems' framework, Hong Kong continues to enjoy the free flow of capital, information and talent, backed by robust rule of law and strong protection of intellectual property.”
A convergence point for mainland and international data, the city also attracts talent from around the globe, he said, adding that Hong Kong, together with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, is where high-end manufacturing capabilities and cutting-edge technologies simultaneously reside.
“For AI developers, innovators and businesses, Hong Kong is the place to be.”
Building on these strengths, the city is adopting a twin-track approach – developing AI as a strategic industry in its own right and harnessing AI as a powerful enabler across the economy, he said, adding: “We call this ‘AI+’.”
Underscoring the need to accelerate the process, Chan said this is the reason the government announced the establishment of the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy while unveiling the budget for 2026-27 two weeks ago.
The government’s initial focus is on health technology and embodied intelligence, he said.
“Health tech is a natural area of strength for Hong Kong, given our world-class medical professionals, schools and healthcare institutions ... For embodied intelligence, we are seeing rapid advances and increasingly mature applications,” he said, adding that the city’s dense and complex urban environment provides an ideal test bed for smart mobility, logistics and service robots.
Hong Kong’s greatest asset is talent, and talent recruitment and development lie at the center of the government’s strategy, the finance chief said. The government is investing in education to build AI literacy while also working to upskill the workforce to help them adapt as the nature of work evolves.
“Our goal is to strengthen AI readiness across the society, so that our people and businesses can stay competitive in a fast-changing economy.”
For these initiatives, the government looks to partners like Lenovo to join hands with it, said Chan, adding, "Lenovo's deep strengths in AI, and its experience in deploying AI solutions across industries, can provide valuable support to Hong Kong's efforts."
Ken Wong, executive vice president of Lenovo and the president of Lenovo Solutions & Services Group, was also present at the event.
