Following is a question by the Hon Sunny Tan and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (March 25):

Question:

     The application of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots (chatbots) has become increasingly popular in recent years, but it has been reported that overseas chatbot platforms were alleged to have induced users to commit suicide and unlawful acts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) given that the Government has formulated the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Framework (the Framework) and the Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline (the Guideline) to provide guidance on identifying and managing potential risks of AI projects, whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the Framework and the Guideline in preventing chatbots from inducing users to commit acts of misconduct, including committing suicide and unlawful acts;

(2) whether the Government will consider introducing other specific measures to prevent the risk of chatbot platforms inducing users to commit acts of misconduct; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) of the measures or mechanisms put in place by the Government to encourage generative AI service providers from overseas jurisdictions to make reference to the recommendations in the Framework and the Guideline, and to ensure that the services provided by them comply with the requirements of the relevant legislation of Hong Kong?

Reply:

President,

     Regarding the question from the Hon Sunny Tan, upon consulting the Department of Justice and the Security Bureau, our reply is as follows.

(1) The Government attaches great importance to the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and is committed to ensuring that members of the public possess sufficient safety awareness and literacy when using such technologies. In 2021, the Digital Policy Office (DPO) published the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Framework (the Framework) to provide clear guidance for projects involving the development and application of AI technology, with a view to identifying and effectively managing the potential risks and considerations associated with such projects. The Framework recommends that AI applications implement security measures such as adopting technological means to identify unintended, false, or inaccurate outputs, so as to mitigate the risk of applications generating inappropriate or illegal content. 

     In April 2025, the DPO also published the Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline (the Guideline), stating that service providers are responsible for ensuring that their service systems do not output illegal, non-compliant, or inappropriate content, and should establish mechanisms to enhance the traceability and auditability of their systems. At the same time, the Guideline reminds service users to be aware that AI-generated content may contain misleading, false, or inaccurate information, and to exercise independent judgement when using such content.

     The Government has been closely monitoring the development of AI and will review and update relevant guidelines and regulations as necessary to cope with new challenges brought by the technology. The most recent updates to the Framework and the Guidelines were released in December 2025.

(2) The Government has been broadly enhancing public awareness and preparedness regarding AI, information security, and cybersecurity through various channels. For example, the DPO, through the thematic website "Cyber Security Information Portal", introduces to the public on how to use AI tools properly, including avoiding the disclosure of sensitive personal and work-related information, selecting reputable AI tools that prioritise data security, and carefully reviewing the privacy policies, data processing policies and the terms of use of the relevant AI tools.

     Regarding the legal framework, 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 March 6 on the establishment of the Inter-Departmental Working Group to Review Legislation to Support Wider Application of AI (Working Group). The establishment of the Working Group is crucial for addressing issues arising from the rapid development and widespread application of AI, and its core members will come from different policy bureaux and government departments. Each policy bureau and government department will first conduct a comprehensive and in-depth review of existing laws to identify loopholes or deficiencies, and then based on the actual circumstances of Hong Kong, explore targeted and practicable solutions (including the need for and feasibility of enacting specific legislation or implementing administrative measures).

(3) The Government welcomes innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises from the Mainland and other regions to establish or expand their businesses in Hong Kong, thereby providing local people with more I&T applications. The Guidelines and Framework are consistent with the direction of similar documents on AI ethics and safety standards issued by other regions. Relevant enterprises may refer to the Guidelines and Framework as guidance for developing local products or services. On the other hand, most of the existing laws in Hong Kong are, in principle, applicable to the online world, and can effectively regulate the risks and illegal activities related to AI applications. If an AI service provider extends its business operations to Hong Kong, it must comply with relevant Hong Kong laws. If such operations are suspected of violating the law, law enforcement agencies may investigate and take follow-up actions in accordance with the law.

     Furthermore, the Government recognises the cross-border nature of generative AI services and will, through the soon-to-be-launched Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute, promote the establishment of an AI governance framework and related standards in line with international practices. This aims to foster exchanges and co-operation between the Mainland and the international community regarding AI governance and technical standards, thereby addressing the diverse risks associated with generative AI through strategies covering soft guidelines, laws, standard alignment, etc.

Ends/Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Issued at HKT 14:30

NNNN