HK gets HK$200m donation from local charity to bolster AI development

The Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation (NTFCF) and Sino Group have donated HK$200 million to strengthen the city’s artificial intelligence (AI) offerings. It aims to support the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI) under InnoHK Research Clusters initiative (InnoHK), especially in creating a mobile application for the city’s first homegrown AI language model, HKGAI V1.

This funding will facilitate the further development of locally created AI tools for the industry and public use to enhance daily life. The broader application and development of AI technology will nurture ‘new quality productive forces’ in the long run, reinforcing Hong Kong's position as a leading international hub for innovation and technology.

InnoHK, spearheaded by the Innovation and Technology Commission, is the flagship innovation and technology initiative of the Hong Kong government to promote global research collaboration and cultivate talent in Hong Kong.

Established in 2023 and with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) as the lead institution, HKGAI is the only centre under InnoHK specialising in generative AI technology, and recently launched Hong Kong's first AI large language model, HKGAI V1, which is also the first in the industry to be based on the DeepSeek full-parameter fine-tuning research model.

Hong Kong’s finance chief Paul Chan (pictured middle) expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation and Sino Group for their support. He said that currently, AI is undergoing rapid development, which is redefining the core competitiveness of economies and reshaping the medium- to long-term landscape of the global economy.

“During the third session of the 14th National People's Congress and the third session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee last week, premier Li Qiang mentioned the need to continue advancing the ‘AI+’ initiative in the Government Work Report, emphasising support for the extensive application of large-scale AI models, as well as the integration of digital technologies with our country’s manufacturing and market strengths. By fostering closer collaboration among the Government and the industry, academia, research and investment sectors, accelerating the development of AI as a core industry of Hong Kong, the city can be developed into an international exchange and cooperation hub for the AI industry.”

Harry Shum, chairman of the Council of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said, ‘We are immensely grateful to NTFCF and Sino Group for their generous donation to HKGAI. This support will undoubtedly accelerate the development of artificial intelligence in Hong Kong at a faster pace. As the home of HKGAI, we are proud of its achievements and firmly believe that, with the support of the Hong Kong SAR Government and society, HKGAI will continue to contribute positively to the advancement of AI.’

Nancy Ip, president of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, added, ‘Artificial intelligence is a key focus for our university. We are proud of HKGAI’s milestones and sincerely thank NTFCF and Sino Group for their support. We hope HKGAI can meet the high expectations of the community and continue to achieve breakthroughs. HKUST is committed to providing comprehensive support to advance HKGAI in the field of AI.’

Guo Yike, provost of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and director of the InnoHK Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center, stated, ‘This generous donation will provide tremendous momentum to our research and development efforts. While expressing our profound gratitude, we are deeply aware of the expectations from Hong Kong society and the responsibilities that lie on our shoulders. Having recently launched our new model HKGAI V1, we are currently fully engaged in developing and optimising this model as well as a series of applications. In particular, we are developing the “HKChat”, a locally developed AI chatbot service to be used by Hong Kong citizens. This donation has provided crucial support for this endeavour. We will strive to ensure our work meets and exceeds the expectations.’

Daryl Ng (pictured third left), director of the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation and deputy chairman of Sino Group, remarked, ‘The Central Government and the Hong Kong government are committed to promoting innovation and technology while proactively enhancing strategies for AI advancement. Through collaborative efforts across sectors, the acceleration of “new quality productive forces” that leverage Hong Kong's competitive edge can be achieved."

"We are pleased to foster the holistic development of the I&T ecosystem, nurturing talent promoting the exchange and application of technology, and supporting the government’s goal of attracting and encouraging more international talent to Hong Kong. It is an honour to contribute to this significant milestone for AI development in Hong Kong, facilitating that locally developed AI platforms are accessible to both industry and the public. We are thankful for the opportunity to support the development of a more inclusive AI future that will benefit the lives of the people of Hong Kong," Ng added.

Sino Group has long promoted a diverse innovation and technology ecosystem, cultivating an innovative spirit from an early age and fostering a culture of innovation and technology. In 2014, the ‘Go Code’ programme was launched to provide free coding courses and robotics classes to over 6,000 underprivileged primary school students over five years. The annual Hong Kong Science Fair, inaugurated in 2021, has provided a platform for young inventors, and has received over 1,500 projects from primary and secondary school students and attracted nearly 70,000 attendees to date.

In addition, the Sino Inno Lab was established in 2018, to serve as a collaborative sandbox for start-ups, inventors, and technology companies from Hong Kong, Mainland China and overseas. This platform showcases proof-of-concept developments and fosters the co-creation of innovative solutions. Last year, Sino Inno Lab relocated to a strategic site in the Northern Metropolis, alongside the establishment of The Spark, which provides an open exchange platform and shared workspace for I&T talents.

This initiative enhances collaboration between start-ups and technology companies, solidifying Hong Kong's role as a vital link between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mainland China and the global market, and thereby opening broader development opportunities for the local innovation and technology sector.

Join us this coming 17 June for #Content360 Hong Kong, an insightful one-day event centered around responsible AI, creativity VS influencers, Xiaohongshu and more. Let's dive into the art of curating content with creativity, critical thinking and confidence!

Related articles:

HK-style ChatGPT to cover all govt departments, says HK tech chief
'Let's deal with it in a legal way,' says HK tech chief over the banning of protest song