Hong Kong has elevated artificial intelligence into a core industry and is emerging as one of the world's most dynamic innovation and technology (I&T) centers, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said on Thursday.
The special administrative region is also advancing ambitious I&T infrastructure, Sun said while delivering a keynote speech at the Applied Artificial Intelligence Conference 2026 in Vienna, Austria.
Like Austria, Hong Kong sees AI as key to economic competitiveness, research excellence and public service modernization and pursues "industries for AI" and "AI for industries", he said, inviting Austria to partner with the SAR in shaping AI's next chapter.
He highlighted that this push is backed by a strong research base and basic infrastructure.
The InnoHK research clusters connect over 30 leading universities and institutes across 12 economies, including the University of Oxford, Stanford University and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, while the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster will provide computing power of 180,000 PFLOPS by 2032 — a 36-fold increase, according to Sun.
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With a robust legal framework, low tax regime, strong intellectual property protection, ease of capital raising and world-class logistics, Hong Kong offers European enterprises a trusted gateway to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the broader Asia-Pacific, he said.
Speaking about steps Hong Kong is taking to advance ambitious I&T infrastructure, he said the Hetao Hong Kong Park is a world-class I&T hub connecting the Chinese mainland and the world, while the San Tin Technopole is Hong Kong's flagship I&T industrial base. Together, they link global technology talent and enterprises with the Greater Bay Area's market and supply chain, he added.
The secretary stressed that the SAR government's commitment to accelerating AI adoption, promoting industry upgrade and regulating AI ethics is firmer than ever after the release of the city’s first five-year plan and the chief executive's 2026 Policy Address.
Sun had a brief exchange with startups from the Hong Kong Science Park delegation participating in the conference to learn about their innovative solutions.
While meeting Austria’s Federal Minister of Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure Peter Hanke and President of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry Margarete Kriz-Zwittkovits, Sun discussed ways to expand exchanges on startups and innovation, strengthen cooperation in AI application and industrial digitalization and establish new connections between Austrian enterprises and Hong Kong's innovation ecosystem.
He welcomed Austrian enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's financial platform and market connections to expand into Asian markets, while encouraging enterprises from the mainland and Hong Kong to invest and explore opportunities in Austria.
