‘Do not fear AI’, Hong Kong scientists say as they champion local branch of Beijing’s Institute of Automation
Experts hail expected boost in research, which could enhance mapping and medicine, and play down apocalyptic film visions of the rise of robots
From a small corner of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s scenic campus in rural Clear Water Bay, a computer scientist is building a globkenal platform of three-dimensional maps, powered by artificial intelligence, that he hopes can rival Google Earth.
But Professor Quan Long’s ambition goes beyond mapping – he is interested in the reconstruction of 3D images that would help cities improve traffic monitoring and town planning, while prioritising the privacy of citizens.
Over at the University of Hong Kong, associate dean of engineering Professor Francis Lau Chi-moon and associate professor Kenneth Wong Kwan-yee are also working on artificial intelligence, but with a focus on teaching computers music and medicine.
Quan, Lau and Wong are among the city’s scientists pursuing AI research to improve people’s lives. And they are expecting a boost in their work when Beijing’s Institute of Automation sets up a branch at Hong Kong’s science park, a move announced by the local government in August.
They also welcomed the announcement on Thursday that SenseTime, a Hong Kong start-up specialising in AI, has been picked by Beijing as a partner in powering the nation’s ambition to be a global tech leader.