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First cohort of GenA.I. Sandbox++      
     From nearly 100 proposals received, 36 use cases have been selected for the first cohort of the GenA.I. Sandbox++, involving 30 financial institutions and 27 technology partners (see Annex). All the proposals were prioritised based on innovation, technical complexity and potential value to the financial industry, as well as advice provided by a selection committee comprising academic experts (Note 2).
      
     This cohort will focus on agentic AI applications. The selected use cases go beyond content generation, further exploring how AI can responsibly take on greater autonomy. The testing will cover end-to-end processes such as customer onboarding, payments, insurance claims and customer interactions. Moreover, building on the “AI vs AI” theme in previous GenA.I. Sandbox cohort, the latest pilots will further examine how AI can provide dynamic oversight of the actions taken by other AI applications.
      
     The Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “We are delighted to foster more innovative partnerships between a wide range of financial institutions, in addition to banks, and technology companies. These partnerships are unlocking the potential of agentic AI to create new opportunities. Through the GenA.I. Sandbox++, the HKMA will continue to promote cross-sectoral and ecosystem collaboration. Together we will shape the future of financial services and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre and innovation hub.”
      
     The Chief Executive Officer of the SFC, Ms Julia Leung, said, “The financial industry’s exploration of agentic AI marks a pivotal step forward in developing a future-ready Hong Kong market, where greater system autonomy is underpinned by sound governance and clear accountability. The GenA.I. Sandbox++ initiative gives firms opportunities to test their use cases in a controlled environment, with direct supervisory engagement from an early stage. We look forward to leveraging the profound insights from these trials to empower the broader market transformation.”
      
     The Chief Executive Officer of the IA, Mr Clement Cheung, said, “I am very impressed by the quality and diversity of proposals originating from the insurance industry which reflect a commitment to deploy advanced technologies for the betterment of policyholders. The GenA.I. Sandbox++ has inspired new ideas, generated practical insights and deepened cross-sector collaboration. The IA will strive to reinforce the position of Hong Kong as an international innovative and technology centre under the National 15th Five-Year Plan through progressive expansion of the AI Cohort Programme.”
      
     The Managing Director of the MPFA, Mr Cheng Yan-chee, said, “We welcome the cross-sector collaboration fostered by the GenA.I. Sandbox++, which brings together financial institutions and technology firms to explore practical applications of GenA.I. for the industry. We are pleased that mandatory provident fund (MPF) trustees and intermediaries are participating in this initiative to test GenA.I. applications that enhance operational efficiency and engagement with scheme members, while further facilitating the responsible use of GenA.I. and protection of MPF scheme members’ interests.”
      
     Participants will be onboarded to the designated platform managed by Cyberport’s Artificial intelligence Supercomputing Centre, with technical trials commencing later this year.
     
Note 1: For details about the GenA.I. Sandbox++: www.hkma.gov.hk/eng/news-and-media/press-releases/2026/03/20260305-3Issued at HKT 16:30

EPD convictions in July 
     Eight of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, three were under the Noise Control Ordinance, 15 were under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, one was under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance, 16 were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance and one was under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.
 
     A company was fined $30,000, which was the heaviest fine in July for contravening the terms or conditions of a specified process licence.
Issued at HKT 16:25

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DH reminds parents to register children for three key services in new school year: annual health assessments, school dental care and seasonal influenza vaccinations 
Student Health Service
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     Children and adolescents undergo rapid physical and psychological development during their primary and secondary school years. To safeguard healthy growth, the Student Health Service (SHS) under the DH provides comprehensive annual health assessments for all primary and secondary students in Hong Kong. Services include growth monitoring; screenings for vision, hearing and scoliosis; physical examination; health assessment questionnaires on health behaviours and psychosocial well-being; individual health counselling; health education; and mop-up vaccinations. Some potential health issues of adolescents may sometimes be difficult for their parents to detect in daily life. Through a series of assessments, the DH helps parents understand their children’s health conditions early on and identify potential health risks. The Special Assessment Services of the SHS under the DH has optometrists, audiologists, dietitians and clinical psychologists who provide further assessments for students. Students in need are also referred to specialist clinics or other appropriate institutions for assessment and follow-up services if necessary. This comprehensive approach safeguards students’ physical and mental health.
 
     Participation in the health assessment service each year enhances students’ health awareness and health literacy, helping them better manage their health conditions, and cope with the physical and mental challenges of adolescent development, academic pursuits and growing up.
 
     During the 2024/25 school year, approximately 19 000 students (accounting for 4.3 per cent of the total student population) who received the DH’s annual health assessment service were referred to the Hospital Authority for further assessment due to various health issues. Reasons for referral mainly included growth and development, such as weight (obesity or being underweight), vision, hearing and scoliosis.
 
School Dental Care Service
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     In the 2024/25 school year, approximately 310 000 students participated in the SDCS and over 90 per cent of participants were rendered dentally fit after receiving the services. The Government’s Report of Oral Health Survey 2021 revealed that, compared globally, the tooth decay status of permanent teeth among 12-year-old students in Hong Kong was at a highly satisfactory level, with a very low proportion of untreated decayed tooth and almost no missing teeth, demonstrating the effectiveness of the SDCS in prevention, early detection and early treatment of tooth decay.
 
Enrolment methods
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     In the 2025/26 school year, a total of 293 000 primary students participated in both the SHS and the SDCS, accounting for approximately 91 per cent of all primary students in Hong Kong. Among secondary students, 230 000 participated in the SHS, with a participation rate of approximately 66 per cent.
 
     The DH earnestly encourages parents to enrol their children in the above two services mentioned above. For enquiries regarding the enrolment methods, please contact the service units listed below or visit the websites:
 
Student Health Service           Tel: 2856 9133
                                            Website: www.studenthealth.gov.hk 
School Dental Care Service     Tel: 2928 6132
                                            Website: www.schooldental.gov.hk 
Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme
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LD further enhances Heat Stress at Work Warning system      
     To cope with the extremely hot weather due to climate change, the LD has promptly reviewed and enhanced the existing HSWW system on top of its original functions to enhance the warning alert under abnormally high temperatures.
      
     The enhanced system will introduce two new conditions for triggering different levels of HSWW. First, when the “Extremely Hot Weather” Special Alert issued by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) is in effect, the monitoring threshold for triggering a higher level of warning will be lowered, enabling the early activation of a higher level of warning. Second, when the measured temperatures generally over Hong Kong reach 35 degrees Celsius or above, apart from lowering the monitoring threshold for triggering a warning, the warning level will be raised by one level automatically (i.e. from Amber Warning to Red Warning, or from Red Warning to Black Warning), in order to alert the public of the health risks of heat stress when working under abnormally high temperatures. For details of the enhanced system, please refer to the annex.
      
     Since the establishment of the HSWW system in 2023, the LD has maintained communication with stakeholders and listened to their views. The LD has also continuously reviewed and enhanced the system as appropriate by making reference to information and advice provided by other departments, including the HKO, to suit the actual circumstances of Hong Kong. Since 2024, when the HKO issues the “Extremely Hot Weather” Special Alert, the LD will issue an Amber Warning even if the index has not reached the level for issuing the HSWW, to take into account the hot weather conditions. From this April, in addition to using the Hong Kong Heat Index measured at the monitoring station at King’s Park, the LD has added the indices measured at the other nine locations as issuing criteria of the HSWW, enhancing the coverage and sensitivity of the system. After the launch of the enhanced system, the LD will continue to review the operation of the system and make improvements, such as studying whether to include other monitoring data, for example, the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, as one of the indicators of the system.
      
     The enhancement of the system will not impose additional work for employers and employees. They should continue to pay heed to the level of the HSWW issued by the LD and make corresponding work arrangements. Employers shall conduct heat-stress risk assessments for employees working in hot environments, and based on the assessment results and the risks of heat stroke faced by employees at different levels of the HSWW, implement the heat stroke prevention measures recommended in the Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work      
     The LD also encourages and motivates employers to arrange on-site heat-stress risk assessments, taking into account the special circumstances of their work nature and workplace (such as geographical locations and specific working environments). They can also seek assistance from occupational health professionals, and take appropriate preventive measures based on the results to reduce the risk of heat stroke at work.
      
     The LD reminds employers that they may face prosecution if they endanger the health of employees without providing suitable heat stroke prevention measures. The LD also enhances inspections and enforcement actions targeting workplaces with a higher risk of heat stroke to safeguard the occupational safety and health (OSH) of employees.
      
     Employees should also pay attention to their own physical condition and inform their employer if they feel unwell. When necessary, they can call the LD’s OSH complaint hotline at 2542 2172 or submit an online OSH complaint form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ld0001/en/      
     The LD disseminates the HSWW levels to members of public through multiple channels, including the “iAm Smart” and “My Observatory” mobile applications, government press releases, the HKO’s official website, and major media platforms. For the HSWW and related guidelines, please refer to the LD’s thematic webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htmIssued at HKT 14:00

Cyber Attack and Defence Elite Training cum Tournament 2026 successfully concludes      
     Tailored specifically for the industry, the training course covers common cyber attacks and defence techniques, and features an agentic artificial intelligence module to help participants understand the latest defence strategies and risk management, while preparing them for cybersecurity safeguarding in upcoming large-scale events. At the same time, the competition also brings together industry and academic elites to compete, comprehensively testing their crisis management and incident response capabilities.
      
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chief Superintendent of the CSTCB, Mr Lam Cheuk-ho, said that the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to unprecedented cybersecurity risks and governance challenges, especially with criminals utilising AI to launch cyberattacks. Consequently, the industry must adapt dynamically by refining technology governance strategies and proactive defence mechanisms. This training helps enhance the industry’s response capabilities and ensure the cybersecurity levels of organisations.
      
     Acting Deputy Commissioner (Digital Infrastructure) of the DPO, Ms Cari Wu, said that cybersecurity serves as the solid cornerstone for advancing the digital economy and smart-city development. To build a robust digital defence line while balancing security and development, talent is an indispensable element. The DPO will continue to work closely with industry partners to establish a comprehensive talent-development ecosystem.
      
     The event successfully attracted over 100 organisations and a total of 200 industry professionals to participate in the attack-and-defence training. The competition also attracted more than 660 teams, involving a total of 1,500 talented participants from industry and academia. It is believed that these efforts will deepen cross-sector collaboration and fully enhance Hong Kong’s overall cybersecurity defence capabilities.
Issued at HKT 20:41

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