HKGAI secures $200m to develop AI chatbot

The funding supports the development of HKGAI V1, a locally built AI model.

The Hong Kong Generative AI Research & Development Center (HKGAI) has received a $200m donation to support AI development, including a new chatbot, “HKChat.”

Financial Secretary Paul Chan attended the donation ceremony, where the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation and Sino Group presented a cheque to Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Provost and HKGAI Director, Professor Guo Yike.

The funding will support the development of a locally built large language model, HKGAI V1, and establish a service platform to provide Hong Kong citizens with the AI chatbot “HKChat.” The chatbot will integrate local data and support Cantonese, English, and Putonghua.

Chan highlighted AI’s role in shaping global economies and noted that Premier Li Qiang, in the latest Government Work Report, called for expanding AI applications and integrating digital technologies with industry.

He added that fostering closer collaboration between the government, industry, academia, and investors would accelerate Hong Kong’s AI sector, positioning the city as an international hub for AI exchange and cooperation.

InnoHK, a key government initiative for innovation and technology, has established partnerships with more than 30 world-renowned institutions, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge. HKGAI, one of the 30 research centres under InnoHK, is working on open-source AI models for applications in text and image generation, medical diagnosis, and legal affairs.