Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon William Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (June 10):
Question:
The 2026-2027 Budget has proposed to promote artificial intelligence (AI) training for all to popularise the understanding and use of AI by all levels of society. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as the Budget has announced an allocation of $50 million to invite public organisations to organise, in collaboration with technology enterprises and tertiary institutions, AI application courses, seminars and competitions targeting students, young people and members of the public for enhancing their AI awareness and application skills, of the current progress of such an initiative, including the expected timing for issuing the invitations and announcing the details;
(2) in the course of promoting AI training for all in Hong Kong, (i) whether it will draw on the experience of various countries, such as the United Kingdom’s “TechFirst Programme”, to establish diverse training and funding programmes tailored to the needs of different audience groups (e.g. secondary school and university students, scientific researchers, women and small and medium enterprises); and (ii) whether it will provide AI-related job matching for those who have completed the training, so as to facilitate matching between enterprises and job seekers, thereby accelerating the digital intelligence transformation of society;
(3) whether it will study the establishment of an “AI competency standard framework” (e.g. covering various perspectives such as awareness, application, innovation and ethics) and link it with the Qualifications Framework, as well as provide an “AI-specific” funding under the Continuing Education Fund to encourage continuous learning for all;
(4) whether it will encourage local universities and various vocational and professional education and training providers to collaborate with various trade associations to develop “AI+Industry” micro-credential courses tailored to industry needs, so as to assist practitioners in their professional transformation and upgrading; and
(5) as there are views that with the development of agentic AI technology, the threshold for starting businesses using AI will be further lowered, whether the authorities will, when planning future university and vocational training programmes, strengthen the design of entrepreneurship courses centred on AI tools and provide guidance to help students and members of the public to master ways of using AI technology to engage in sidelines or start businesses, thereby expanding diverse employment models?
Reply:
President,
The 2026-27 Budget (the Budget) proposes the “AI for All” strategy, covering students, young people and members of the public, as well as digital education in primary and secondary schools, post-secondary education programmes and vocational skills training. In consultation with the Education Bureau and the Labour and Welfare Bureau, our reply to the five parts of the question is as follows.