Opinion | How AI can catalyse Hong Kong’s next big economic take-off

Hong Kong’s economic story has always unfolded in cycles of innovation. Finance made it a global hub. Real estate later became a backbone. Both engines now face structural limits. As global competition intensifies, the question is what Hong Kong’s new growth engine will be.

The policy address offers a clear signal: artificial intelligence (AI) is a policy priority. With Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) tasked with channelling capital into frontier industries, AI has been elevated as a potential catalyst for the city’s next economic take-off. The opportunity is real, but success will hinge on whether capital, talent and infrastructure can be aligned into a coherent strategy.
Globally, AI is reshaping innovation. Last year, it commanded an outsize share of the US$314 billion in venture investment worldwide. But the distribution is far from balanced. Asia attracted just US$65.8 billion, a decade low, while US players like OpenAI and Anthropic raised sums that eclipsed entire regions. In the first quarter this year, Asia’s AI start-ups captured less than 10 per cent of global AI funding.

This imbalance highlights the gap between potential and resourcing. Closing it will require capital, regulatory capital, infrastructure and institutional support.

Encouragingly, the foundations are being laid. Hong Kong launched 42 initial public offerings (IPOs) in the first six months, raising US$13.5 billion in its strongest first-half tally since 2021. With more than 200 applications in the pipeline, Hong Kong is reasserting itself as a premier fundraising venue for AI and other tech companies.

01:44

China’s largest EV battery maker CATL celebrates strong debut at Hong Kong stock market

China’s largest EV battery maker CATL celebrates strong debut at Hong Kong stock market

The start-up ecosystem is also maturing, with nearly 4,700 set up last year, up 10 per cent year on year and 40 per cent higher than in 2020. Close to 18,000 people work in local start-ups. The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp houses more than 2,400 firms, supporting 24,000 people, while the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute has transferred about 1,600 technologies to the industry and secured more than 1,000 patents in Hong Kong, mainland China, the United States and elsewhere.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

國泰航空預計要數日恢復航班 共取消540班客機 (20:57) - 20250924 - 港聞 - 即時新聞

國泰航空預計要數日恢復航班 共取消540班客機 (20:57) – 20250924 – 港聞 – 即時新聞

國泰並總結,受超強颱風樺加沙影響,昨傍晚(23日)起暫停往返香港國際機場的航班運作,期間共取消約540班航班,約8.5萬名顧客行程受影響。 國泰指,機管局正實施航班重編控制系統,協調機場明日航班運作,國泰團隊在颱風吹襲期間全力協助顧客,提供最有效可行應變方案,但恢復航班運作的過程充滿挑戰,需要一定時間。 國泰稱,若顧客行程有所改動,會透過電郵、手機短訊、及國泰航空手機應用程式通知最新安排,顧客服務團隊正處理大量查詢,感謝市民耐心等待。國泰又指,機場預計會十分繁忙,呼籲顧客先確認機位、預先在網上辦理登機手續,並建議成功確認機位顧客盡早前往機場,以預留足夠時間辦理出境手續。 機管局表示,基於安全考慮,今日午夜前不會有航班升降,而午夜後至明日清晨則有約20多航班抵港;各航空公司航班由明早6時起恢復正常,三條跑道將全面運作,料機場明日將非常繁忙,全日將處理超過1000班航班,回復至平日水平。機管局客運大樓及旅客體驗總經理歐陽顯宏指,由昨日傍晚6時起至今日,共有逾千班航班受影響、涉約14萬旅客,估計要約兩天時間復常。 港鐵表示,明早(25日)將延長機場快綫服務,增加來往機場站及香港站班次,接載旅客及乘客前往市區。香港站往機場站的加班車將於上午5時30分及上午5時40分開出;機場站往香港站的加班車將於5時34分及5時44分開出。 另外,市區預辦登機服務明天早上6時開始服務,維持於航班起飛前90分鐘截止。 港鐵提醒乘搭機場快綫加開班次的乘客,預先計劃到達市區後的接駁交通。  Source link

Chinese tech firms rush to list in Hong Kong to fund overseas expansion

Chinese tech firms rush to list in Hong Kong to fund overseas expansion

Some of the mainland firms currently looking to list in the city include China Micro Semicon (Shenzhen), Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing and Mech-Mind Robotics Technologies. “The Hong Kong market has had a strong rally this year, with international investors chasing mainland technology companies, particularly semiconductor, AI and robotics companies,” said Tom Chan Pak-lam, permanent honorary

樺加沙|政府:已提早展開善後工作 料改發「三號波」後市面基本復常 (19:03) - 20250924 - 港聞 - 即時新聞

樺加沙|政府:已提早展開善後工作 料改發「三號波」後市面基本復常 (19:03) – 20250924 – 港聞 – 即時新聞

相關報道:樺加沙|政府評估 若無「特別情况」明可復課復工 陳國基今午主持應對極端天氣督導委員會會議,聽取相關局長和部門首長的最新匯報,全面檢視各政府部門最新的應急及善後工作進展。委員會提醒市民,雖然風暴正遠離香港,但現時本港天氣仍然不穩定,大家應繼續留意政府發放的最新消息,政府各部門會聯同社會各界全力參與社區復原工作,以及向有需要的市民提供適切支援。 截至今日下午五時,本港共有19宗確認水浸個案,已完成處理其中14宗,渠務署有信心餘下5宗個案可在一至兩小時處理妥當。屋宇署緊急事故控制中心共接獲25宗關於招牌及地盤棚架等緊急事故個案,至今已完成處理22宗個案;土力工程處共接獲四宗山泥傾瀉報告,事故地點位於西營盤、屯門、赤柱和涌背,其中兩宗涉及塌樹引致斜坡和擋土牆損毁。 另外,發展局早前已經物色50多幅分佈各區的政府土地,供各部門臨時擺放塌樹及雜物,稍後再安排送往堆填區。在颱風過後,樹木管理部門會巡查位於人流車流高地區的樹木,採取相應措施,包括穩固樹木、移除懸吊斷枝、移除倒塌或根基不穩的樹木。 消防處截至今日下午五時,共處理了143宗有人被困升降機報告,454宗自動報火警系統報告,393宗樹木倒塌報告,一宗山泥傾瀉報告,以及九宗水浸事故報告,當中在16宗水浸事故中共協助了61名市民到安全地方。 路政署接逾千宗塌樹報告 截至下午五時,路政署共收到約1620宗道路事故報告,包括約1050宗塌樹、約85宗水浸和六宗山泥傾瀉報告等,署方已於下午一時二十分開始巡查主要道路工作,並已完成。路政署轄下近200隊應急隊伍亦隨時候命,在安全情況下出動清理道路上的塌樹、障礙物及淤塞的道路集水溝和渠道,以及為倒塌的斜坡進行緊急圍封及搶修工程等。因應惡劣天氣及風暴潮而於昨晚臨時封閉的沙田城門河、大埔林村河及大埔河沿岸16條行人隧道則已於下午五時開始重新開放。 各區民政處已提早於昨日上午八時開放臨時庇護中心,風暴期間一共開放50個臨時庇護中心,比以往開放的數目更多,期間共有約900人入住。民政處轄下的臨時庇護中心於三號強風信號下會繼續開放,供有需要市民入住,直至三號強風信號除下。另外,各區民政處會協調相關部門和機構於當區進行善後工作,以期讓市面盡快復常,利便市民出行、上班或上學。 Source link

Hong Kong airport braces for Ragasa backlog of 140,000 affected passengers

Hong Kong airport braces for Ragasa backlog of 140,000 affected passengers

Eager travellers, undeterred by the Airport Authority’s announcement that outbound flights would not resume until 6am on Thursday, have headed to Hong Kong International Airport as Severe Typhoon Ragasa moved away from the city. With all flights suspended until midnight, the authority expected the airport would be very busy and anticipated handling about 1,000 flights.

Sunil Kaushal is the CEO for Asean and South Asia at Standard Chartered. Photo: Handout

AI and smart manufacturing come to the fore as multinationals face cost hikes: StanChart

Three in five multinational companies expect costs to rise due to ongoing geopolitical uncertainties, which is spurring their adoption of artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing to offset financial pressure, according to a Standard Chartered survey on Wednesday. About 62 per cent of top executives surveyed predicted cost increases of 5 to 14 per cent in

Hong Kong buildings swaying in Super Typhoon Ragasa ‘nothing to worry about’

Hong Kong buildings swaying in Super Typhoon Ragasa ‘nothing to worry about’

As Super Typhoon Ragasa battered Hong Kong with hurricane-strength winds on Wednesday morning, some worried residents felt their high-rise buildings sway, but experts and authorities have assured the public that such movements are normal. Ragasa, which triggered the highest-level No 10 warning signal, came within about 100km to the south of Hong Kong in the

Severe Typhoon Ragasa: Hong Kong’s coastal, low-lying areas hit by floodwaters

Severe Typhoon Ragasa: Hong Kong’s coastal, low-lying areas hit by floodwaters

Coastal and low-lying areas across Hong Kong have been hit hard by Severe Typhoon Ragasa, as it brought a significant storm surge and rainstorms to the city, inundating streets and promenades. Widespread flooding could be seen across the city on Wednesday morning, with the Hong Kong Observatory reporting that water levels in some areas had

McDonald’s, cha chaan teng defy Ragasa to feed hungry Hongkongers

McDonald’s, cha chaan teng defy Ragasa to feed hungry Hongkongers

As Super Typhoon Ragasa pummelled Hong Kong on Wednesday, some brave restaurants kept their doors open for hungry Hongkongers. Despite the Hong Kong Observatory maintaining its highest-level No 10 warning in the morning for the year’s most powerful storm, before lowering it to No 8 at lunchtime, many residents braved gale-force winds and heavy downpours