Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee will announce various measures to push for AI-powered governance when he delivers his annual Policy Address on Wednesday, according to multiple local media outlets.
In Lee’s fourth Policy Address, there will be “multiple paragraphs mentioning artificial intelligence applications,” including their use in policy implementation and governance, local media reported, citing government sources.
The move is a response to China’s AI policy blueprint released last month, the reports said, adding that Lee’s Policy Address would mention AI on “dozens” of occasions.
Beijing released a high-level directive in August, outlining its ambition to achieve “deep integrations” of AI in six strategic areas, including scientific research and public governance, by 2027. The directive aims to reach a 90 per cent AI prevalence rate in the country by 2030.
Lee already signalled the prominence of AI in this year’s Policy Address with a promotional video released on Sunday, showing AI-generated imagery of himself wearing a green tie designed by the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong specifically for the Policy Address.
During his Policy Address last year, Lee said the government’s Digital Policy Office would pilot the use of a locally trained AI system for some administrative document processing as part of a broader drive to digitise public services.
Revamp non-local labour scheme
Lee is also expected to revamp a labour scheme introduced in 2023, which allows businesses to employ non-local workers to alleviate the manpower shortage in the city, local media also reported.
To protect local workers, the scheme lists a number of criteria, such as requiring employers to maintain a ratio of at least two full-time local employees for every imported worker.
But the scheme has come under criticism following rising unemployment rates in some sectors and emerging cases of employers abusing the mechanism by favouring imported workers over locals.
Lee will address the issues in his Policy Address and is likely to adjust the current worker ratio to protect local employment, according to local media reports.
Expedite Northern Metropolis project
Lee is also expected to introduce measures to expedite the development of the Northern Metropolis, a sprawling project set to transform 30,000 hectares of land along the city’s border with mainland China.
The chief executive may announce a raft of measures to streamline the land planning process, including adopting industry-specific tendering or directly granting certain plots of land, according to local media.
The measures will aim to speed up the pace of mainland and overseas enterprises entering Hong Kong.
Speaking during a weekly press conference on Tuesday, Lee said this year’s Policy Address would continue a focus on issues relating to the economy and residents’ livelihood.
