Following is a question by the Hon Elizabeth Quat and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, in the Legislative Council today (March 18):

Question:

     The Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports Hong Kong's development into an international innovation and technology centre. In recent years, the Government has vigorously promoted the AI Plus (AI+) strategy to achieve "industries for AI" and "AI for industries", and has proposed AI training for all. However, there are views pointing out that the current AI applications in Hong Kong still face issues such as inadequate regulation, as well as security and ethical concerns. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will promote the popularisation of international standards for AI management and related monitoring platforms, such as ISO/IEC 42001 standard certification, to ensure that AI applications comply with international standards and safety norms, thereby reducing technical and security risks;

(2) regarding the controversies caused by AI-generated content (such as issues of deepfake pornography and disinformation), whether the Government will draw on the experiences of places such as the Mainland and Korea, and study the enactment of dedicated legislation targeting all AI-generated content, and strengthen the regulation of online platforms, for example, by requiring clear labelling of all AI-generated content; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) as it is learnt that the quality of some AI education courses varies, what measures the Government has put in place to strengthen regulation, so as to enhance public awareness of AI ethical issues through such courses, and prevent the abuse of AI while promoting its widespread application?

Reply:

President,

     The Government is accelerating the industrialisation of AI and promoting the deep integration of AI with various industries, while actively encouraging AI's wide application to enable adoption and utilisation by all. Throughout this process, the Government advocates AI technological innovation and safe applications to foster a healthy and orderly ecosystem for AI development. The National 15th Five-Year Plan also proposes that when deepening and expanding the AI+ initiative, we should ensure a co-ordinated and fine balance between promoting development and regulated use, thereby creating a beneficial, safe, and fair environment for smart development.

     Regarding the question from the Hon Elizabeth Quat, upon consulting the Department of Justice and the Education Bureau (EDB), our reply is as follows.

(1) AI governance is the cornerstone of ensuring the safe, ethical and responsible use of AI. The Digital Policy Office has published and continuously updates documents such as the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Framework and the Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline, providing the AI governance framework tailored to the Hong Kong context for the development and application of AI technologies, covering key principles and safety standards for identifying and managing potential AI risks.

     As a public institution leading Hong Kong's AI research and development and accelerating AI applications, the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute (AIRDI) will endeavour to improve the local AI governance framework and strengthen the foundation for AI technology empowerment. The work objectives of the AIRDI include:

(i) establishing AI standards and promote system interoperability with reference to the "National Standard Artificial Intelligence Service Capability Maturity Evaluation" and the ISO 42001 Artificial Intelligence Management System, etc;

(ii) providing AI safety assessment and related consulting services, thereby enabling local AI systems and enterprises to train AI models and conduct compliance testing in a secure and standardised environment that meets international standards; and

(iii) building cross-sector and inter-regional AI collaboration platforms to jointly promote the standardisation and safe application of AI with stakeholders.

     The Government has appointed the Board of Directors of the AIRDI this month to lead the institute in finalising arrangements for its staffing as soon as possible. The AIRDI is expected to come into full operation in the second half of this year to implement the aforementioned work on promoting the safe and ethical use of AI.

(2) Under existing legislation, the release of indecent photos or personal privacy is regulated by the relevant existing ordinances, regardless of whether AI was used in their creation. Regarding the use of AI to produce pornographic, obscene, or indecent images, the Subcommittee on Cybercrime under the Law Reform Commission is studying the existing laws from the angle of cyber-enabled crimes and will conduct a public consultation in due course.

     To review whether the laws under different policy areas can keep pace with technological developments (including AI), the Secretary for Justice has convened a Steering Committee meeting on the establishment of the Inter-Departmental Working Group to Review Legislation to Support Wider Application of AI, underscoring the Government's candid and proactive approach to addressing the potential risks (including issues such as deepfake pornography and AI-generated false information) and regulatory requirements (including AI governance and other related aspects) that may arise from the development and application of AI, while striking a balance between promoting relevant development and mitigating associated risks.

     The establishment of the Working Group would be essential in addressing issues arising from the fast development and pervasive use of AI, and its core members will be drawn from various policy bureaux and departments (B/Ds). B/Ds will first conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of existing laws to identify loopholes and deficiencies, and then formulate targeted and practicable solutions taking into account Hong Kong's actual environment. The Working Group is actively gearing up for the work, and there is yet a decision on whether individual issues should be addressed through legislation.
 
(3) In respect of educational courses, the EDB has been in close communication with universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC), encouraging them to further strengthen their measures in AI and cyber technology applications. In 2023, the UGC allocated $100 million to establish the Fund for Innovative Technology-in-Education which aims to encourage universities to leverage technology to advance teaching innovation and enrich learning experience, fostering a new generation of well-rounded talent for the digital economy. Among the funding scope of the Fund is promoting technological social responsibilities and academic integrity, which includes legal and ethical topics such as academic integrity, and data privacy and security.

     In addition, to promote AI for All, the 2026-27 Budget proposes organising AI-related courses and activities to enhance understanding of and proficiency in AI among students, young people and the public, as well as their responsible use of AI. We are actively making preparation for these initiatives, and through collaborating with public organisations familiar with AI alongside businesses and tertiary institutions, we aim to implement the related initiatives in the second half of this year.

Ends/Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:11

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