Pedestrians in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on January 17. It is crucial to go beyond reacting to events and instead take proactive steps to pave the way for the city’s future. Photo: May Tse
Opinion
Neville Lai
Neville Lai
Why Hong Kong must get to grips with AI, the climate and geopolitics
Hong Kong must be literate and competent on these top three global dangers to stay current and take the lead in climate adaptation, regional AI standards and bridge-building in a fracturing world
To future-proof itself – in other words, to not become obsolete – Hong Kong must enhance the city’s literacy and competency on three key issues – artificial intelligence (AI), climate sustainability and the geopolitical landscape.
These have been identified in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 as the top three dangers facing the world. The report also calls for more collaboration in the face of growing global fractures.
First, we should recognise that the extreme weather caused by climate change is here to stay and galvanise our resolve to tackle and adapt to the new normal. One local example was the severe black rainstorm last September, which Hong Kong officials described as a “once-in-500-years” event, and which led to one death and 117 injured, with cars, shopping centres and properties damaged by the flooding.
In his policy address last year, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu laid out for the first time a plan for Hong Kong to deal with extreme weather events, such as by using big data and reviewing contingency plans. These are important first steps.
While infrastructure is important to help safeguard public safety, we must recognise that nature is also part of our “infrastructure”. Hong Kong needs a whole-of-society approach for the population to adapt to extreme weather and to harness public wisdom on the potential for climate-related economic opportunities.
The government published its road map on the popularisation of electric vehicles in 2021, which set a target of phasing out internal combustion engine and hybrid vehicles by 2035.
Hong Kong’s first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus will hit the streets in a month’s time. Photo: Handout
But the world is also moving towards greener fuel sources. As such, Hong Kong must be resolute in its mass adoption of renewable energy, enhancing our competency in developing and advancing green energy use – including hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and, potentially, nuclear power. Hong Kong’s first hydrogen-powered double-decker bus is due to go into operation in a month, but regulations and laws still need to evolve to allow for mass adoption of the technology.
Second, we should look to enhance our AI competency, given its importance as a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionise various aspects of life in positive ways – but equally, we need to be mindful of its downsides.
In Hong Kong and elsewhere, we seem to be focusing too much on AI applications and their benefits – for instance, the infinite possibilities brought by ChatGPT and similar tools that could enhance efficiency and productivity across different industries. While this may allow people to focus on more complex and creative endeavours, we must recognise that AI is nascent and, like any powerful tool, can be a double-edged sword.
08:15
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Hong Kong has plans to expedite the establishment of a supercomputing centre to foster the development of AI. While it is a good start to keeping up with emerging trends, the city must also heed the risk of disinformation, ranked as a top global risk this year in the WEF report.
Deepfakes are one of the most worrying uses of AI. Hong Kong should spearhead action to guard against disinformation generated by AI, and enhance public competency in AI, in areas such as AI ethics and how to harness AI responsibly for good.
Third, we need to increase our competency in comprehending the changing geopolitical environment. This includes understanding the uncertainties and potential disruptions as a result of political events, conflicts, policy changes, trade disputes or regulatory shifts in different regions or countries. Hong Kong, in particular, is very susceptible to geopolitical risk.
We must be prepared to diversify to reduce our dependencies. Undertaking scenario planning is almost a must, and we should widen our portfolio of strategic partnerships to substantiate the city’s continued influence.
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This year, dubbed a global election year with around 40 per cent of the world’s population going to the ballots, the uncertainties that changes in governments can bring means it is increasingly urgent to strengthen our ties with existing economic partners while exploring new opportunities.
While there are measures we can take to mitigate risks, it is important to acknowledge that we may not be able to eliminate all potential vulnerabilities. Therefore, it is crucial to go beyond simply reacting to events and instead take proactive steps to pave the way for the city’s future.
On a local level, the Hong Kong government can only do so much, but there is potential for Hong Kong to take the lead in climate adaptation and knowledge sharing, as well as in establishing standards for the use of AI regionally.
By expanding its influence in emerging economies, Hong Kong can facilitate greater access to technology and support capacity-building in these countries, promoting fair participation in global cooperation. We are well aware that the ripple effects of natural disasters and AI abuses go beyond borders.
As we face growing uncertainties ahead, Hong Kong must grasp the new reality. As a global city, we have the potential to play a role in building bridges, preserving the unravelling geopolitical fabric and fostering a renewed sense of optimism in the midst of polarisation. It is thus crucial for Hong Kong to future-proof itself and maintain its relevance in a changing multipolar world.
Neville Lai is an independent international affairs strategist focusing on East Asia, the curator of the World Economic Forum Global Shapers initiative in Hong Kong and an Asia 21 Young Leader
