HKChat forces developer speed-up as 630,000 users swarm

HKGAI warns AI risks must stay in “visible” range.

630,000 users have registered for Hong Kong’s local AI assistant HKChat in the first two months of its operation, underscoring rapid public uptake of the platform.

Developed by the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI) and released in November 2025, the chatbot handles location specific queries such as food recommendations and transport directions for users.

Speaking at the Cyber Security Forum organised by the Digital Policy Office of the government on 20 January, HKGAI COO Dr. Sara Huang said the scale of adoption has increased pressure on AI developers to provide accurate and timely responses to users.

She added that the centre aims to keep AI-related risks within a “visible and acceptable” range by monitoring how answers are generated and reducing false or misleading outputs.

Dr. Huang also encouraged users to report incorrect or outdated information, saying public feedback is critical to improving the system as usage continues to grow.