https://www.scmp.com/rss/519886/feed Latest news on research, breakthroughs and innovations in Hong Kong. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong could welcome the astronauts of the Shenzhou-23 mission, including the city’s history-making payload specialist, as early as the first half of next year, the technology chief has said. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong also said on Sunday that the government would establish a new space manufacturing research centre under InnoHK this year, focusing on 3D printing and artificial intelligence (AI). “I hope that after the Shenzhou-23 crew returns, a visit by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355455/hong-kong-may-host-shenzhou-23-crew-2027-including-astronaut-lai-ka-ying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355455/hong-kong-may-host-shenzhou-23-crew-2027-including-astronaut-lai-ka-ying?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 07:57:36 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial With the first Hong Kong astronaut on board, China’s Shenzhou-23 mission has opened up new horizons. It sends a clear message that space technology and exploration is not out of reach for a place traditionally known for its strength in finance and services. With proper leadership, institutional support and a mentality reset, the city can capitalise on the momentum to fly higher. The pride and excitement brought by Lai Ka-ying must now be sustained by long-term efforts to further develop a space... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3355257/one-small-step-one-giant-leap-hong-kongs-space-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3355257/one-small-step-one-giant-leap-hong-kongs-space-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 22:45:05 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Three life scientists from mainland China and France have won Hong Kong’s Shaw Prize for developing a therapy that has turned a rare form of leukaemia from deadly to widely curable. Professor Emerita Anne Dejean, Professor Hugues de The and Professor Chen Zhu have won in equal shares the life sciences and medicine prize of the Shaw Prize, which has been dubbed the “Nobel Prize of the East”. The three academics were recognised for their discovery of the molecular and cellular bases of acute... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355084/3-scientists-win-hong-kongs-shaw-prize-developing-therapy-rare-leukaemia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3355084/3-scientists-win-hong-kongs-shaw-prize-developing-therapy-rare-leukaemia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 16:00:49 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Veteran industrialist Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu has been appointed as chairman of a government-owned company tasked with developing Hong Kong’s San Tin Technopole – a key pillar of the Northern Metropolis megaproject. Authorities said on Wednesday that the San Tin Technopole Company would be created in the first half of 2026, with Chai starting his three-year term as board chair on July 1. His tenure as chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation will end on June 30, with... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355015/top-industrialist-sunny-chai-picked-head-firm-developing-san-tin-technopole?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355015/top-industrialist-sunny-chai-picked-head-firm-developing-san-tin-technopole?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 07:48:03 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Lai Ka-ying’s selection as Hong Kong’s first astronaut has sparked a more than threefold surge in aerospace and satellite-design course inquiries at a learning centre, while industry leaders have called for sites to be refitted as immersive education facilities. Lai, a police superintendent who has also become China’s first female payload specialist, made her historic journey into space on Sunday with the launch of the Shenzhou-23 mission. Jeffrey Ho, CEO of Star Club Scientist Education, said... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354947/how-hong-kongs-first-astronaut-triggered-space-education-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354947/how-hong-kongs-first-astronaut-triggered-space-education-race?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:30:13 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Graduates of Hong Kong’s largest vocational training institution have largely avoided the negative effects of AI and could reap more internship opportunities from a coming megaproject, the body’s new leader has said. In an interview with the South China Morning Post, newly appointed Vocational Training Council (VTC) chairman Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung also vowed to review the courses to align them with emerging job opportunities. The government earlier revealed that entry-level jobs for university... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354552/graduates-top-vocational-school-spared-brunt-ai-impact-new-chairman-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3354552/graduates-top-vocational-school-spared-brunt-ai-impact-new-chairman-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Kristen Cheung Kristen Cheung The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has opened the city’s first full-stack interactive robotics lab, partnering with 24 tech firms, mostly from mainland China, to train talent and develop humanoid robots over the next five years. The Hong Kong Embodied AI Lab, established by CUHK’s Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics under the government’s InnoHK initiative, has already introduced upgraded versions of the city’s first locally developed AI-powered robotic arms and a quadruped robot,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353951/hong-kongs-cuhk-aims-bring-ai-life-humanoid-focused-robotics-lab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3353951/hong-kongs-cuhk-aims-bring-ai-life-humanoid-focused-robotics-lab?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 07:52:16 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Popular weight-loss injections have the potential to help patients recover from severe strokes when used alongside a surgical procedure to remove blood clots in the brain, scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have said. The scientists said on Thursday that administering a GLP-1 injection before and after a thrombectomy, a blood clot removal procedure, could have neuroprotective effects and improve the neurological recovery of ischemic stroke patients by as much as 20 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353588/why-hong-kong-scientists-think-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-help-stroke-patients?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353588/why-hong-kong-scientists-think-glp-1-weight-loss-drugs-can-help-stroke-patients?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 11:28:43 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Top Swedish universities are eager to deepen collaboration with Hong Kong in areas such as life sciences, the city’s innovation and technology minister has told the South China Morning Post during a visit to the country to strengthen ties. “What impressed us most during this trip to Sweden is the incredible enthusiasm of Swedish organisations, groups and individuals for cooperating with Hong Kong. This exceeded my expectations,” Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3353321/top-swedish-universities-eager-forge-ties-city-hong-kong-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3353321/top-swedish-universities-eager-forge-ties-city-hong-kong-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 14:57:37 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong has made “significant” progress in its bid to transform itself into a technology hub, according to a Chinese venture capital investor, whose firm was recently selected by the city to invest in local start-ups under a HK$2 billion (US$250 million) government initiative. “You can see fundamental, significant changes are indeed taking place,” said Steve Sun, founding managing partner of Dalton Venture, in an interview on Thursday. “I believe that over the next decade, Hong Kong can... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3352173/hong-kong-tech-hub-progress-significant-dalton-ventures-steve-sun-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3352173/hong-kong-tech-hub-progress-significant-dalton-ventures-steve-sun-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Heiwai Tang Heiwai Tang Geopolitics is reshaping the global trade landscape. The old model of free trade is fracturing as nations retreat into protectionism. Yet, amid this shift, China’s economy remains remarkably resilient. The country is shedding its “world’s factory” label and becoming a technological powerhouse. A massive wave of Chinese enterprises is “going global”. For Hong Kong, this is a defining moment. By drawing up a strategic five-year plan and leveraging its unique institutional advantages under “one... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351772/how-hong-kongs-institutional-strengths-can-power-its-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3351772/how-hong-kongs-institutional-strengths-can-power-its-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 01:30:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial These days, it seems everything is artificial intelligence, but only the technically proficient and well-funded organisations can take advantage of AI’s full power. Therefore, the Hong Kong government must democratise its use lest people be left behind, missing out on its potential for enrichment and employment. The Hong Kong government is moving in the right direction by setting up a new AI research institute, along with multiple initiatives and funding channels to develop “AI for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349873/ai-all-efforts-must-not-leave-any-hongkonger-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349873/ai-all-efforts-must-not-leave-any-hongkonger-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Nearly a quarter of Hong Kong companies are expected to widely adopt AI this year, a threefold increase from a year ago, while a growing number of business leaders believe the technology will result in smaller headcounts, a survey has revealed. Professional services firm KPMG released the Hong Kong Employment Outlook 2026 on Wednesday, with the poll showing that 24 per cent of organisations were set to widely adopt artificial intelligence (AI), up from just 8 per cent in the previous... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349370/24-hong-kong-firms-widely-adopt-ai-smaller-headcounts-expected-kpmg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349370/24-hong-kong-firms-widely-adopt-ai-smaller-headcounts-expected-kpmg?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:20:39 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A new research institute in Hong Kong is set to ramp up efforts to develop “AI for all” as early as this month, mapping out a strategy to strengthen the government’s capabilities while ensuring all residents and sectors benefit from the technology, a senior official has said. Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Kevin Choi Kit-ming said one of the priorities of the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute would be to integrate a locally... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349304/new-research-institute-ramp-efforts-hong-kong-pursues-ai-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349304/new-research-institute-ramp-efforts-hong-kong-pursues-ai-all?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:30:09 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s housing authorities will expand the use of smart technologies, such as door sensors, in-home fall detectors and stair climbers, to enhance safety and convenience for elderly residents at public estates as the city’s population ages. Michael Hong Wing-kit, deputy director of housing overseeing estate management, said a pilot scheme to install sensors, which track door activity and send alerts, in public flats with elderly occupants would be expanded to include Tung Wui Estate in Wong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349080/housing-authorities-expand-use-smart-technologies-support-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349080/housing-authorities-expand-use-smart-technologies-support-elderly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Construction has begun on a major data centre in the Northern Metropolis, with Hong Kong’s innovation and technology minister saying the project will supercharge the city’s computing power and drive the national artificial intelligence (AI) push. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Saturday at the Range (Hong Kong) Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster, which spans more than 110,000 square metres. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said the project marked a leap forward in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348246/hong-kong-breaks-ground-northern-metropolis-data-centre-power-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348246/hong-kong-breaks-ground-northern-metropolis-data-centre-power-ai-push?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:04:10 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu After Hong Kong photographer Jacky Lau Kin-sang upgraded his camera systems a few months ago, he was shocked to find professional, high-capacity SD memory cards for the set-up cost up to HK$3,000 (US$383) each, three times more than expected. But the real shocker for the 42-year-old was that the price of the hard disks he had been purchasing for years to back up his clients’ images also skyrocketed from HK$1,880 to HK$3,880 for a model with a capacity of 16 terabytes (TB). “It means you... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348225/why-sd-cards-and-hard-drives-are-new-digital-gold-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3348225/why-sd-cards-and-hard-drives-are-new-digital-gold-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 04:00:36 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), the government’s investment arm, has teamed up with venture capital firm Gobi Partners and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to launch a fund on Tuesday to invest in technology start-ups spun off from the university’s research breakthroughs, according to an HKIC statement. Gobi-HKU Fund I made two investments at its launch: Manifold Tech, which develops spatial intelligence for robotics, and AilsynBio, which focuses on artificial intelligence-driven drug... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347689/hkic-gobi-partners-and-hku-team-fund-backing-university-research-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:21:49 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong authorities have received more than 100 applications for innovative drone usage to pioneer the city’s “low-altitude economy”, with some pilot projects set to launch as early as in three months, the transport minister has said. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also pledged to push more advanced transport technologies to transition from trials to everyday use in 2026. In a blog post on the Transport and Logistics Bureau’s website on Saturday, Chan said “the industry... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347425/flying-start-low-altitude-economy-goals-100-drone-projects-proposed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3347425/flying-start-low-altitude-economy-goals-100-drone-projects-proposed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:32:48 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee”, saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed a recent Digital Policy Office advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns. “AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:02:37 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong In the first of a two-part series on AI in Hong Kong, Harvey Kong reports on the plight of young people worried about their future as firms use the tech for lower-level jobs and experts warn of a ‘broken talent chain’. Trina Lau spent nearly three months looking for work after she was laid off from an e-commerce firm in Hong Kong in December. It was the 23-year-old’s first job after graduating with a communications degree last year. The position only lasted for six months. She sent out more than... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346409/i-cant-get-job-and-ai-blame-young-persons-lament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346409/i-cant-get-job-and-ai-blame-young-persons-lament?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:01:01 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po delivered his latest budget on February 25. Over the past decade, under his stewardship, Hong Kong has weathered multiple economic shocks and recently returned to a respectable growth rate of 3.5 per cent. Yet the tasks ahead are formidable: addressing a structural fiscal deficit in the city’s capital account while ensuring sufficient resources for future growth, all against an increasingly volatile and dangerous global backdrop. Article 107 of Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345682/paul-chan-must-deliver-fiscal-discipline-hong-kong-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3345682/paul-chan-must-deliver-fiscal-discipline-hong-kong-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Adam Au Adam Au In January, Hong Kong’s financial regulator warned the public about an unlicensed “AI-based quantum high-frequency trading” scheme. While this was a case of old-school fraud dressed in new-tech clothing, it highlighted a deeper truth: where sophisticated technology meets finance, the potential for both innovation and harm grows exponentially. The real challenge is not these crude scams, but the legitimate, powerful AI agents now arriving in the marketplace. When this digital delegate makes a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344608/ai-agents-advance-hong-kong-should-shape-rules-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344608/ai-agents-advance-hong-kong-should-shape-rules-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Kevin Li,Lo Hoi-ying Kevin Li,Lo Hoi-ying A proposed high-level committee that will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) could help tech start-ups in Hong Kong mitigate legal and geopolitical challenges, as well as gain access to important databases for model training, market leaders have said. But the experts also told the South China Morning Post on Thursday that the committee, which was proposed in the latest budget and will be led by the city’s finance chief, would need to involve a diverse panel of experts and be “action-driven”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344748/ai-committee-can-help-hong-kong-start-ups-tackle-legal-geopolitical-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344748/ai-committee-can-help-hong-kong-start-ups-tackle-legal-geopolitical-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:38:36 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Hong Kong government’s annual budget is always a delicate and difficult balancing act. From investing in the future and aligning with national development to caring for the disadvantaged and supporting the middle class, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has more room to juggle this year as the economy and public finances continue to improve. But the volatile economic and global environment means the city is not out of the woods yet. If the focus in previous budgets was on stimulating... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344630/budget-sets-hong-kong-its-next-phase-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344630/budget-sets-hong-kong-its-next-phase-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Hong Kong raised its economic growth forecast to between 2.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent this year, as Financial Secretary Paul Chan delivered a budget speech focused on diversifying growth and boosting innovation. The city also will end deficits ahead of schedule, aided by economic growth and stronger stock trading, with an expected consolidated surplus of HK$2.9 billion for the financial year ending next month, Chan said on Wednesday. The government initially predicted expansion of 2 per cent to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344588/steady-she-goes-hong-kong-bids-farewell-deficits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344588/steady-she-goes-hong-kong-bids-farewell-deficits?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:02:07 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po will deliver his annual budget on Wednesday, unveiling measures to accelerate the city’s economic recovery after balancing the books, amid mounting expectations for more “sweeteners” in the blueprint. The 2026-27 budget also marks the government’s first major test in aligning the city with mainland China’s 15th five-year plan and unveiling long-term growth initiatives. The South China Morning Post examines how political and economic factors will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344469/ips-superyachts-and-more-can-budget-spark-hong-kongs-purple-patch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344469/ips-superyachts-and-more-can-budget-spark-hong-kongs-purple-patch?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:30:08 +0000 Olga Wong Olga Wong Hong Kong’s finance chief will unveil new measures in his budget to strengthen the city’s growing intellectual property (IP) economy, focusing on nurturing top-tier talent and helping local tech firms evaluate their patents, the South China Morning Post has learned. The initiatives, expected to be announced on Wednesday, come as Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po faces mounting expectations to make strategic use of the city’s earlier-than-expected operating surplus while investing in long-term... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344370/hong-kong-boost-ip-economy-new-academy-patent-evaluation-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3344370/hong-kong-boost-ip-economy-new-academy-patent-evaluation-support?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Eunice Xu,Iris Deng Eunice Xu,Iris Deng The majority of Hong Kong’s white-collar workers are embracing artificial intelligence in their daily work, but executives’ reluctance to use the technology risks slowing enterprise-wide adoption, according to a survey by McKinsey & Company. Nearly 70 per cent of white-collar workers in Hong Kong use AI, with more than 90 per cent engaging with the tools at least once a day, according to findings from the consulting firm’s local survey released on Wednesday. Most workers use AI for specific... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343205/hong-kong-executives-trail-employees-ai-adoption-mckinsey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3343205/hong-kong-executives-trail-employees-ai-adoption-mckinsey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Regina Ip Regina Ip At this time of year, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s top priority is finalising the Hong Kong government’s budget for 2026-27, balancing requests for incentives and welfare against calls for a return to fiscal prudence. For decades, budget speeches have followed a familiar structure: a review of past performance, near- and medium-term forecasts, support measures for industries and social services, a report on the government’s fiscal position and financial estimates for the coming year.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342610/hong-kongs-budget-should-move-city-towards-inspirational-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3342610/hong-kongs-budget-should-move-city-towards-inspirational-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s workforce lags behind regional peers in the frequent use of artificial intelligence, a sluggish adoption rate that experts say are limiting pay rewards and job security even as companies prepare to trim entry-level roles. A 2025 survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released on Thursday found that half of Hong Kong respondents were infrequent users of generative AI at work in the past 12 months, compared with 34 per cent for the Asia-Pacific region. The data showed only 22... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341683/hong-kong-workers-lag-regional-peers-ai-use-lose-out-pay-security-pwc-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341683/hong-kong-workers-lag-regional-peers-ai-use-lose-out-pay-security-pwc-study?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:31:27 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The Education University of Hong Kong (EdU) has launched an artificial intelligence-powered mental health support app for students, with a secondary school principal praising its potential to help teachers track pupils’ emotional well-being. Named EmoCare, the app began a trial run last month, serving about 700 primary, secondary and university students. A key feature turns students’ diary entries into colourful visualisations of their emotions. The app’s large language model analyses the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341297/ai-mental-health-app-helps-hong-kong-students-accentuate-positive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3341297/ai-mental-health-app-helps-hong-kong-students-accentuate-positive?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 13:58:37 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has raised concerns over the potential misuse of the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok, developed by Elon Musk’s company, warning that using its image-generation function to create indecent or malicious content could amount to criminal offences. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) issued a statement on Thursday after various countries raised concerns about Grok’s image-editing function that allowed users to digitally “undress” real... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340033/hong-kong-watchdog-warns-against-using-musks-grok-ai-bot-create-indecent-images?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3340033/hong-kong-watchdog-warns-against-using-musks-grok-ai-bot-create-indecent-images?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:49:12 +0000 Ian Brownlee Ian Brownlee The Northern Metropolis is in the news almost every day. The big policy focus for the administration, it is determining a new future for Hong Kong. Part of the New Territories, which were dubbed “a land between” in the 1980s, the area was once little more than a rural leftover between urban Hong Kong and the mainland, where Shenzhen’s paddy fields could be seen from a Lok Ma Chau hill. China’s opening-up policies saw Deng Xiaoping promoting Shenzhen in the 1990s. Suddenly, a world-class,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339034/northern-metropolis-can-combine-best-central-planning-and-free-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3339034/northern-metropolis-can-combine-best-central-planning-and-free-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Themis Chen Themis Chen Hourly services at Hong Kong’s first automated public car park have partially resumed following a suspension of operations for an urgent system update just two days after its debut. In a reply to the Post, the Architectural Services Department said on Friday that hourly parking services for larger vehicles had resumed at noon, while those for private cars would begin again shortly. The department said it was aware of the instability of the car parking system on Tong Yin Street in Tseung Kwan O,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3339401/hourly-services-first-automated-hong-kong-public-car-park-partially-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3339401/hourly-services-first-automated-hong-kong-public-car-park-partially-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:16:58 +0000 Susan Su Susan Su A group of Hong Kong students has created an award-winning initiative that uses artificial intelligence to help elderly couples fulfil their travel dreams, with the city leader’s wife highlighting the technology’s role in volunteer services. Janet Lee Lam Lai-sim, the spouse of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, lauded the achievement at the Hong Kong Volunteer Award’s presentation ceremony on Friday, saying innovation and technology would drive progress in volunteer development. “I hope everyone... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339391/hong-kong-students-lauded-using-ai-help-elderly-fulfil-travel-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3339391/hong-kong-students-lauded-using-ai-help-elderly-fulfil-travel-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:08:41 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing On a sunny afternoon in late November, hundreds of onlookers gathered beside a picturesque lake near Shanghai as a massive silver drone lifted off silently from the deck of a cutting-edge vessel, marking the dawn of a new chapter for the low-altitude economy in both mainland China and Hong Kong. The demonstration at Dianshan Lake, which straddles the border between Shanghai and Suzhou, felt like a scene from a science fiction film as the “Sunship”, a mobile water-based vertiport, made its global... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339236/drone-age-hi-tech-wizardry-propels-hong-kong-towards-lift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339236/drone-age-hi-tech-wizardry-propels-hong-kong-towards-lift?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:30:14 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Thousands of passenger and cargo air taxis could be flying across Hong Kong within a decade as the low-altitude economy takes off, according to one of mainland China’s largest drone makers, which hopes to launch operations in the city. AutoFlight senior vice-president Kellen Tse told the Post the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer plans to significantly expand in Hong Kong, potentially paving the way for its international headquarters in the city. Backed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339203/thousands-passenger-cargo-drones-will-fill-hong-kong-skies-decade-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3339203/thousands-passenger-cargo-drones-will-fill-hong-kong-skies-decade-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 23:30:11 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong has brought its largest delegation ever to the US consumer electronics trade show CES as it strives to become a global technology hub, but US visa denials and the abruptly cancelled attendance of the city’s technology chief have cast a shadow over its efforts. Some employees at exhibiting Hong Kong firms did not make it to CES in Las Vegas because of visa rejections, many of whom had experience working at Chinese tech companies that were blacklisted by the US government such as Huawei... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338995/us-visa-denials-cast-shadow-over-hong-kongs-largest-ever-delegation-ces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338995/us-visa-denials-cast-shadow-over-hong-kongs-largest-ever-delegation-ces?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 05:00:15 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Researchers from Baptist University have discovered two new coral species in Hong Kong’s southeastern waters, underscoring the area’s biodiversity despite being close to urban territory. The university revealed on Monday that a team of its marine scientists had identified two new soft coral species – previously unknown worldwide – in rocky reefs off Sung Kong Island, located about 5km (3 miles) southeast of Hong Kong Island’s Shek O Beach. One of them, Paraminabea inflata, a yellow or orange... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338751/hong-kong-marine-scientists-discover-2-new-coral-species-citys-southern-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338751/hong-kong-marine-scientists-discover-2-new-coral-species-citys-southern-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:50:44 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong authorities are preparing to launch a special channel next year to allow sensitive mainland Chinese biological samples and data to cross an “innovation cooperation zone” between the city and Shenzhen, a minister has said. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said on a television programme on Sunday that authorities had already clearly defined the scope of specific genetic resources and sensitive information to be permitted. “I believe we will roll out these... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3337934/hong-kong-launch-special-channel-cross-border-sensitive-biological-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3337934/hong-kong-launch-special-channel-cross-border-sensitive-biological-data?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:03:56 +0000 Themis Chen Themis Chen The Chinese University of Hong Kong will offer free autism screening for 200 young children with suspected symptoms under a pilot project using a newly developed tool that tests stool samples and can provide results as quickly as one week later. Researchers at the university said on Wednesday that they and a spin-off company, MicroSigX, would start screening children between the ages of 18 months and four years from January next year. Professor Ng Siew Chien, an associate dean at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3336806/chinese-university-hong-kong-offer-free-autism-test-200-young-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3336806/chinese-university-hong-kong-offer-free-autism-test-200-young-children?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:25:17 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu Hong Kong authorities will offer HK$500,000 (US$64,200) to each public school that applies for funding to introduce artificial intelligence into classrooms over the next three years, with about HK$500 million allocated for the initiative. Schools receiving the funding can subscribe to AI-powered software and hardware, but must implement AI-assisted teaching in at least three subjects while developing six teaching examples or resources using the technology. The Education Bureau announced the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3336600/hong-kong-schools-get-hk500000-each-under-hk500-million-ai-education-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3336600/hong-kong-schools-get-hk500000-each-under-hk500-million-ai-education-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:04:59 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong’s first locally developed artificial intelligence chatbot, HKChat, has raised expectations that it could compete with more popular and established AI apps, as it racked up around 90,000 users in the city within a week of its low-key release. HKChat is focused on providing information on local services, including real-time bus arrivals, as well as the city’s weather, laws and regulations. It was the top-ranked free app on Apple’s Hong Kong App Store on Sunday, according to data from app... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3334267/hong-kongs-hkchat-raises-ai-expectations-90000-users-join-app-debut-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3334267/hong-kongs-hkchat-raises-ai-expectations-90000-users-join-app-debut-week?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Nov 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words As professors who have spent over a decade studying educational technology, we’ve seen both sides of the digital revolution in classrooms: its incredible promise to transform learning, and its pitfalls when adopted without evidence. At the recent Global EdTech Startups Awards in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3333063/edtech-tools-grow-schools-need-know-which-ones-really-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3333063/edtech-tools-grow-schools-need-know-which-ones-really-work?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 03:30:10 +0000 Peggy Sito Peggy Sito Terry Wong Ping-sau, the CEO of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP), radiated nostalgia as he scrolled through a map on his phone, focusing on the place he called home for three years while working on the Neom project, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s massive smart-city development. “Look at this place,” he said. “This is Aqaba. I lived right there, on the shores of the Red Sea, at a crossroads of nations – bordered by Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The geography alone was... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3331973/neom-hkstp-science-park-ceo-terry-wongs-vision-hong-kongs-tech-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3331973/neom-hkstp-science-park-ceo-terry-wongs-vision-hong-kongs-tech-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 23:30:13 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Genome sequencing was first completed on a human 22 years ago, following a decade of work to learn how to map the full genetic code of an organism. Now the procedure can be done in a day, opening vast areas of biomedical research for places such as Hong Kong. It has been impressive to hear that the city’s first large-scale genome sequencing project has exceeded original targets in its first four years of operation, making great strides in helping patients discover the causes of undiagnosed... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3331961/genome-project-evidence-hong-kongs-progress-biomedical-hub-goal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3331961/genome-project-evidence-hong-kongs-progress-biomedical-hub-goal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov The second edition of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum began on Wednesday, bringing together Shaw Prize winners and 200 young researchers as part of a major push to establish the city as a global hub for scientific and technology talent. Officiating the opening, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki highlighted the government’s strategy: “We are establishing an advanced [innovation and technology] system under the principle of promoting technology with talent, leading industries with technology and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331609/hong-kong-laureate-forum-kicks-city-woos-global-science-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331609/hong-kong-laureate-forum-kicks-city-woos-global-science-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 09:00:11 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Hong Kong’s first large-scale genome sequencing project has recruited more than 52,000 participants in about four years of operation, exceeding its original target, with the body behind it hoping to expand the scheme further to help more patients discover the causes of their undiagnosed diseases. The Hong Kong Genome Institute, a government-owned organisation that runs the Hong Kong Genome Project, said that more than three-quarters of participants had experienced positive treatment changes... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3331222/hong-kongs-large-scale-genome-sequencing-project-recruits-52000-4-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3331222/hong-kongs-large-scale-genome-sequencing-project-recruits-52000-4-years?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 02:00:25 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has urged LinkedIn users to review their settings on the platform, as the professional networking giant is set to resume using their personal data to train generative artificial intelligence models starting from Monday next week. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data issued the reminder on Thursday, saying LinkedIn had confirmed it would begin using personal data to train its generative AI models starting on November 3. The updated policy will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3330868/hong-kong-linkedin-users-urged-check-privacy-settings-ai-training-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3330868/hong-kong-linkedin-users-urged-check-privacy-settings-ai-training-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 06:31:33 +0000