The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area holds the greatest potential to become world’s first AI bay area, compared with world’s other major bay areas, said Li Cheng, founding director of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong.

Li told a roomful of global audience on Monday, convened in Macao for the two-day International Forum on Mutual Learning among Civilizations 2026.

To achieve that, Li proposed to accelerate the coordinated development of artificial intelligence research, innovation, application, popularization, and regulation, as well as pool more intelligent scenarios.

ALSO READ: Macao forum: AI development should be cautious, people-centered

It should also form a batch of AI venues and AI markets; and even build the first AI city, Li added.

By leveraging major cooperation platforms such as Hengqin, Qianhai, Nansha, and Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, Hong Kong and Macao should not only act as "super connectors" but also serve as "super value-adders," exploring cross-border artificial intelligence and using AI to promote comprehensive cooperation across the Greater Bay Area, he envisioned.

“I believe the Greater Bay Area, where we are based, possesses rich traditional wisdom and a solid practical foundation. The key lies in upholding the two core spirits of ‘boldly standing at the forefront of the tide’ and ‘prioritize people-centered development,’” he added.

READ MORE: Conference in Macao SAR focuses on cultural coexistence

Li added that by hosting high-level dialogue in a second year, the Macao SAR has offered another major international public goods from China to advance global dialogue among civilizations.

The two-day event drew about 300 world-renowned scholars and experts from around the globe. The forum’s keynote speeches centered on harmony without uniformity, openness and inclusiveness, along with the multicultural coexistence demonstrated by the Hong Kong and Macao SARs under the “one country, two systems” principle.

Contact the writer at hazelwong@chinadailyhk.com