Hong Kong – The Hong Kong government has earmarked HK$50m to roll out its “AI Training for All” initiative, a programme aimed at expanding artificial intelligence literacy and application skills across different sectors of society.
In a blog post, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said the government has invited three organisations — Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, and Hong Kong Productivity Council — to collaborate with technology companies, tertiary institutions, industry chambers and other stakeholders in delivering AI-related training and outreach activities.
According to Chan, the initiative will include AI application classes, seminars, competitions and other programmes designed to encourage wider adoption and understanding of AI technologies.
“To implement ‘AI Training for All’, we have allocated $50m and invited three organisations — Cyberport, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, and the Hong Kong Productivity Council — to work with technology companies, tertiary institutions, industry chambers and others to organise AI application classes, seminars, competitions and other activities,” Chan wrote.
The programme is expected to deliver more than 200 activities across the current and next financial years, reaching approximately 50,000 participants. Chan also said additional education and publicity initiatives targeting a broader range of community groups will be introduced.
“The programme is expected to deliver more than 200 activities in the current and next financial years, benefiting around 50,000 participants in total. In addition, various education and publicity initiatives targeting a wider set of community groups will also be launched,” he said.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader strategy to accelerate AI adoption and equip residents with the skills needed to navigate technological change. In his blog post, Chan said the “AI + Industry” and “AI Training for All” approaches, first outlined in this year’s Budget, are intended to connect AI technologies with different sectors of the economy while helping residents build practical knowledge of AI applications.
Chan noted that training programmes will be tailored to different groups. For students, activities may focus on hands-on learning opportunities such as hackathons and technology competitions. For older residents, the government plans to train community members and students to serve as AI learning ambassadors, helping seniors understand and use AI tools while raising awareness of potential risks such as scams.
He added that vocational and workforce training initiatives are also being expanded. The Higher Diploma programmes of the Vocational Training Council have already incorporated AI as a compulsory subject, while the Employees Retraining Board is set to be upgraded into “Upskill Hong Kong” to provide additional skills-based training, including AI applications for working professionals.
According to Chan, the combination of public awareness efforts, youth-focused vocational pathways and workforce upskilling programmes is intended to ensure that residents of different ages and backgrounds can participate in and benefit from the development of AI.
