Why Hong Kong is emerging as the world’s AI crossroads between East and West

Hong Kong is emerging as a neutral hub bridging the technological strengths of East and West while leveraging its robust education and financial systems to drive the next wave of artificial intelligence transformation in businesses, according to PwC executives.

As companies worldwide pushed to move AI from isolated experiments to capabilities deployed at scale, not just to solve problems but to unlock new revenue opportunities, Hong Kong was “well‑positioned” to harness the technology’s potential, said Joe Atkinson, chief AI officer at PwC Global.

“Hong Kong serves as a powerful connector, bringing together capabilities from around the world to address business challenges in industrial AI and supply chains,” he said in an interview with the Post earlier this month. “Its education system, financial institutions and business environment all play an important role in driving AI transformation.”

With AI promising increases in efficiency and productivity, as well as driving innovation, creativity and scientific discovery, the city could become a research and development hub that combines the strengths of East and West, according to Vishy Narayanan, digital and AI leader at PwC Asia-Pacific, in the same interview.

Hong Kong, leveraging its proximity to mainland China and support from Beijing, was positioned as an international hub for AI-driven innovation, said King Au King-lun, executive director of the city’s Financial Services Development Council (FSDC), which contributed to the report.