July 15, 2024
HONG KONG – Hong Kong Investment Corporation – the investment vehicle owned by the special administrative region government – will start its third strategic cooperation partnership with an artificial intelligence-empowered robot company at an AI forum on July 19, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday.
HKIC’s third to-be strategic partner focuses on the research of robots integrated with large language models. The other two partners are SmartMore — an industrial AI model generator – and BioMap – a biocomputing AI model generator.
One of the forum’s highlights will be youth training, with some Hong Kong high-school students being invited. They’ll have the chance to chat with guests and newly developed AI robots.
Writing in his Sunday blog, Chan said cultivating the young generation’s interest in technological innovation and their interdisciplinary ability is a key link for the future development of technologies. “We had visited several AI and robot companies and found that some of their founders majored in medical sciences and others in engineering science.”
He said the SAR government is committed to promoting the development of innovation and technology, and diversification of the economic structure.
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Besides investing plenty of resources and providing policy support for universities and scientific research institutions, the government attaches great importance to science enlightenment and education in primary and secondary schools. “In my earlier Budget, I had increased resources to encourage schools to promote science education.”
According to the 2022 OECD Program for International Student Assessment, Hong Kong students ranked fourth in mathematics and seventh in science among 81 economies. Their overall performance was higher than the international average level.
Chan said when he communicated with students of different ages, he felt that even those who’re not studying physics subjects generally have an improved understanding and interest in innovation and technology, and they also agree with the importance of its development.
“This year’s Budget allocated more than HK$130 million ($16.6 million) for relevant science education in primary schools. In the next two school years, each public-funded primary school can receive up to HK$300,000 in subsidies,” he said.
The government is focusing on promoting technological innovation in multiple fields, including AI and big data, life and health technology, financial technology, as well as new energy and new materials.
READ MORE: Chan: Finance, innovation technology the path to HK’s future
“We’ll accelerate the cultivation of new productive forces according to local conditions. We also aim to provide more quality employment options for young people so that people with different interests and abilities can develop and use their talents,” Chan said.
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