Hong Kong AI group urges firms to set safeguards within 90 days

The voluntary framework calls for board oversight and a central inventory of artificial intelligence use.

The Artificial Intelligence Association of Hong Kong (AIHK) calls for a four-stage roadmap, beginning with baseline governance that can be established within 90 days, covering accountability, approved tools, and permitted data use, and progressing towards full-scale adoption and independent assurance.

The AIHK launched a voluntary playbook that gives organisations operating in or from Hong Kong a single framework for responsible AI adoption.

Amongst other things, the guidelines recommend board-level oversight, a designated executive accountable for AI adoption, and a central register of AI use across the organisation.

Titled "Guidelines on Responsible Corporate and Institutional Adoption of Artificial Intelligence", the playbook covers risks spanning data privacy, intellectual property, cybersecurity, fairness, and third-party dependence.

It builds on the city’s existing regulations and policies, including the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and the Digital Policy Office’s Ethical AI Framework, whilst also drawing on international practice from markets including Singapore and the United States.

AI use cases are also classified into one of three risk tiers, with AI agents connected to organisational systems treated as elevated risk at a minimum.

The guidelines were developed by AIHK and its Safety & Governance Council, which brings together academics from tertiary institutions, including the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

“Many organisations are caught between moving too slowly on AI and moving ahead without the right safeguards. These guidelines are designed to break that deadlock,” said Neil Tan, founder and chairman of AIHK.

“Rather than treating AI governance as a compliance exercise, we are setting out a practical operating model that any organisation can follow,” he added.