Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Kevin Choi, at the Global Youth Powerhouse Summit 2026 today (October 5):
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is a pleasure to join you at the Global Youth Powerhouse Summit, alongside over 200 young professionals, educators, and industry leaders from more than 30 countries and regions.
Every major technological shift brings uncertainty. Our theme today, “From Entry-Level Shock to AI Power Users: Building the Next Talent Ladder”, turns that uncertainty into a challenge we can rise to together.
Let me be candid. The “entry-level shock” in today’s theme is real. Many of the routine tasks that once made up a graduate’s first job, such as basic coding and first-line customer service, are precisely the tasks AI now performs well. Our answer is not to shield young people from AI, but to make sure the first job is still there, and that it is a better one.
The good news is that Hong Kong starts from a position of strength. A recent study by a global technology company found that among Hong Kong respondents, nearly 70 per cent are already proficient AI users, able to compare and choose between different tools, and about 20 per cent are “super users” who harness AI agents to automate everyday tasks. In other words, many people are already climbing the ladder, our task is to make sure that this ladder reaches everyone.
In Hong Kong, we view AI not as a threat, but as a catalyst. Anchored by Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and our latest Policy Address, both announced just last month, we are building a comprehensive “talent ladder” to take emerging professionals from foundational literacy to industry leadership. Today, I want to walk you through how we are setting up that ladder, step by step.
Before anyone can become an AI power user, they must first master the basics. The first step of our talent ladder is mass AI literacy, removing cost and access barriers so that no one is left behind.
We are investing at a population scale. Through our “AI for All” Inclusive Programme, we are delivering over 200 tailored training courses and activities by early 2028, promoting responsible AI use among students, researchers, and working professionals. To build public familiarity with emerging technologies such as embodied AI, we are introducing the “Robots in the Community” Pilot Programme, bringing technology out of labs and into daily life. For the workforce, we offer free online training courses for all with a focus on the workplace application of AI, aimed at upskilling 40 000 employees. For small and medium enterprises, enhanced programmes like the Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme and Hong Kong Productivity Council’s advisory services provide direct tools to integrate AI into everyday operations.
Once literacy is established, the second step converts active learners into practical innovators. Hong Kong holds a unique position to drive this transformation. We are the only city in the world home to five universities ranked in the global top 100. Hong Kong ranks fourth in the IMD (International Institute for Management Development) World Talent Ranking and third in education competitiveness.
To prepare our youth for an AI-driven economy, the universities funded by the University Grants Committee are introducing 27 new STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) undergraduate programmes focused on AI, creative technologies, and data science. Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) has also expanded the Talent Foundry programme to offer around 500 training opportunities on AI+ and emerging technologies for professionals and students each year.
Just as importantly, we are paving the way for that crucial first job. As announced in the 2026 Policy Address, the Government and the business sector will launch the two-year 30 000 Youth Employment and Internship Programme. Amongst others, we will expand the STEM Internship Scheme to provide around 10 000 internship quotas within two years, for young people to explore new I&T (innovation and technology) disciplines.
The third step turns academic excellence into real-world impact by aligning spatial strategy, research funding, and industry application. In fact, we are fully committed to nurturing this synergistic ecosystem by rolling out various initiatives to empower local university teams to transform innovative ideas into viable start-ups, examples of which include the Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities and the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme.
Furthermore, guided by the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy, we are driving AI integration across all sectors. To spearhead this transformation, the new Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute will come into operation later this year, accelerating the commercialisation of research breakthroughs. At the same time, we support the HKSTPC in exploring the establishment of the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Application Scenario Promotion Centre. We trust that these programmes would give researchers the test beds they need, in both the public and private sectors, to prove their concepts.
This brings us to the final step, providing the infrastructure, career opportunities, and policy pathways that empower AI users to thrive over the long term.
AI requires massive computing power. The Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster will underpin Hong Kong’s AI development with critical data infrastructure. The cluster is expected to commence phased operation in mid-2027, with its computing power to reach 180 000 peta-floating point operations per second (PFLOPS) by 2032, which is 36 times Hong Kong’s current level, ensuring our technology developers have access to high-performance infrastructure.
Our innovation blueprint creates a connected innovation corridor stretching from Cyberport in the south, through the Hong Kong Science Park in the centre, to the new Loop Hong Kong Park in the north, where Loop Academy One, the flagship of the Northern Metropolis University Town, will merge academia, research, and industry under one roof. This gives our young professionals a unique launchpad to build, test, and scale solutions.
Finally, a ladder needs solid ground, and for Hong Kong that foundation is a deliberate strategy of balancing robust innovation with responsible governance. Under our AI risk-governance strategy, we are addressing seven areas from ethical governance and AI agent safety to the broader impact of widespread AI use under the support of a new Commissioner for AI to be created within the Digital Policy Office.
Young professionals, Hong Kong may be small in landmass, but our technological ambitions are vast. Hong Kong has already given rise to about 20 unicorns from fintech to AI, alongside more than 5 200 start-ups. Here, we provide the platform, the data, and the market for you to build a career.
So may I leave you with one request for this year. Adopt one AI tool in your work, step onto the ladder, become an AI power user, and build the future right here in Hong Kong.
The policy framework is set. In the session that follows, I am sure Alibaba, Huawei and Tech for Good will show how organisations actually put AI to good use. I wish you all a rewarding and enjoyable Summit. Thank you.