John Lee Pledges More AI Use Cases for Firms
Bastillepost · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
At the second district consultation session for Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said wider technology adoption is a priority for the government. He said AI could be used for job matching and to improve the efficiency of public administration, adding that practical application scenarios are crucial to technology development. Lee said the government would open up more such scenarios so enterprises can make fuller use of innovation.
The discussion also turned to the infrastructure needed for AI growth. A resident said AI development requires substantial computing power and electricity, but Hong Kong faces high power tariffs and limited green electricity options, raising operating costs for data centres and innovation businesses. The resident suggested studying dedicated channels in key innovation districts to import green electricity and nuclear power from the mainland, while planning computing and power infrastructure together.
Lee responded that Hong Kong aims to achieve a “zero-carbon” standard by 2050 and agreed that more green energy options should be considered. He said concrete plans for bringing in more green electricity, and potentially nuclear power, would need further study.
Key Points
- The government held the second district consultation session on Hong Kong’s first-ever five-year plan and the upcoming Policy Address.
- John Lee said AI can help match workers to jobs and improve the efficiency of government operations and public services.
- He argued that real-world application scenarios are essential for technology and AI development, and promised to open more of them.
- A resident said high electricity prices and limited green power choices are increasing operating pressure on data centres and innovation industries.
- The resident proposed dedicated channels in key innovation zones to import mainland green electricity and nuclear power with computing infrastructure planning.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the issue is not only whether AI companies can build products, but whether the city can provide the power supply and deployment opportunities needed to scale them. If the government follows through on opening more use cases while addressing energy constraints, it could shape how competitive Hong Kong becomes in data centres, public-sector digitalisation and applied AI services.