Hong Kong AI Efficiency Improvement Team: Facilitated and implemented the first batch of 30 efficiency improvement projects to date, which have been implemented one after another since mid-year
The Zhitong Finance App learned that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced today (August 17) that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Performance Improvement Team has so far promoted and implemented the first batch of 30 efficiency improvement projects, which will be implemented in stages starting in the middle of this year. The first batch of 30 efficiency improvement projects involving 13 departments, including 10 influential flagship projects, covered areas closely related to citizens and enterprises, such as transportation licenses, sports facilities, food business licenses, environmental hygiene, complaint handling, and environmental protection.
According to reports, some of these 30 efficiency improvement projects optimize the process of approving various applications or waiting for public service, making it easier and faster, and upgrading the user experience, such as drastically reducing approval or waiting time for some cases by 90% through the use of AI; others are streamlining internal government processes and improving work efficiency, such as by applying AI technology and/or restructuring workflows to reduce the processing time of some processes, from a few days to a few hours, and the time for case diversion or analysis can also be shortened by half or more.
Hong Kong's Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration Cheuk Wing-hing said, “The development of these projects depends on the support and efforts of the department. The Promotion Team has also set up an AI project team composed of AI and data science experts from the Hong Kong Digital Policy Office and the Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to work with leading AI companies in the market to assist the department in advancing the project in the form of AI technology partners to ensure that the application of AI meets the actual operational needs of the department and keeps up with new AI developments and trends in the market.”
“Our purpose is to pragmatically and rapidly advance efficiency improvement projects, with a view to implementing them this year and next two years. The fact that these projects can be launched in a short period of time shows the determination and execution ability of the government to promote digital intelligence transformation.”
“The first projects have also demonstrated the potential to advance AI across departments. Although different departments have different functions, there are many similar daily work scenarios, such as online reservations, license applications, review and evaluation, responding to inquiries, environmental monitoring, etc. If a plan is successfully implemented in the first test department, the relevant experience, technology and implementation model can be appropriately adapted and extended to other departments and similar business scenarios.”
The Hong Kong Government will continue to promote more AI applications, explore more AI application scenarios, replicate and expand the successful experiences of the first batch of projects, further improve government operation efficiency and service quality, and continuously optimize public services, so that citizens and enterprises can more effectively experience the convenience and benefits brought by digital intelligence transformation.
The Chief Executive announced the establishment of an AI Efficiency Improvement Team in the 2025 “Policy Address” to coordinate and guide government departments to effectively apply AI technology in their work, research and restructuring work processes, and promote technological innovation by departments. The Promotion Team is headed by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, and the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of Hong Kong and a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, Yau Daghan, as deputy heads.