HKPC Organises “GBA International Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Summit 2024” Gathering International Leading Experts and Industry Leaders Showcasing the Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

(Hong Kong, 26 November 2024) In response to the nation’s call for driving New Productive Forces, and further encourage all sectors to capitalise on advanced technology including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) holds the "GBA International Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Summit 2024" (the Summit) today, bringing together top international academicians, industry and start-up leaders to share their experiences and insights on the hot topics of advanced manufacturing, new energy, life and health sciences, large language models, and other cutting-edge technologies and their applications, as we as featuring the exhibition of humanoid robots. This Summit is also named one of the Mega Events of the year by the HKSAR Government, and one of the celebratory activities of the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Professor SUN Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, officiated the opening ceremony of the Summit and delivered a speech. Mr Emil YU Chen-on, Deputy Chairman of HKPC, Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC, Legislative Council members Professor Hon William WONG Kam-fai and Hon Benson LUK Hon-man, alongside a group of expert speakers and industry elites also witnessed this grand event.

Professor SUN, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, said in his opening speech, "Hong Kong provides the perfect setting for AI and robotics technologies to flourish. As home to five of the world’s top 100 universities, we possess world-class R&D capabilities and tech infrastructure, as well as a diverse talent pool. We have spared no effort in implementing all-round measures to foster a vibrant AI ecosystem in Hong Kong that is conducive to both the community and businesses. To provide sufficient computing power resources for R&D, the development of the AI Supercomputing Centre, of which the first phase will soon come into operation, can meet the growing demands of research institutes and industry sector. Users of AISC can also leverage the AI Subsidy Scheme, in a total amount of $3 billion, to receive funding support for the computing resources to drive their AI-driven R&D work and innovative applications.".

In his welcome speech, Mr Emil YU Chen-on, Deputy Chairman of HKPC stated, "HKPC is honoured to host the ‘GBA International Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Summit 2024’ for the third time, and it is a privilege to welcome leaders and experts from academia, industry, and startups from various countries and regions. The Chief Executive's Policy Address for 2024 underscores the pivotal role of AI and Data Science in positioning the city as a global innovation and technology (I&T) hub. For years, HKPC has been at the forefront of advancing AI and robotics technology, championing innovation, and fostering technology adoption through initiatives, winning international esteemed R&D awards, such as the High Mast Inspection Robot and the Tunnel Defect Inspector. These initiatives are aligned with the Government's efforts to expedite the deployment of new productive forces. We will fully support the Government’s initiative in the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. We hope that this Summit will promote the development of AI and robotics while strengthening collaboration in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the global arena.”

Themed "Empowering Emerging Industries through AI and Robotics: Collaboration, Innovation, and Opportunities," the Summit this year extends the discussion to application of AI and robotics in emerging industries. This year's Summit features a special exhibition area where five exhibitors showcase the latest humanoid robot technologies from different countries, and how they can be applied to emerging industries. For example, one of the companies showcased robots with motion interaction capabilities, their operational and task execution capabilities, and in-depth application in typical manufacturing scenarios in automotive companies such as BYD, Audi First Automotive Works, and Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor. Another company showcased a new generation of high-performance humanoid robots with a general purpose, featuring 55 degrees of freedom, maximum joint torque 400 Nm, maximum rotation speed 25 rad/s, and running speed 3.6 m/s in outdoor real-world scenarios. Each hand of the robot possesses 12 degrees of freedom and a fully actuated five-fingered dexterous hand, which can perform tasks including picking up objects, pouring water, trimming plants, and stably walking and running on diverse terrains.

Though the development of humanoid robots is still at an initial stage, a humanoid robot can perform multiple tasks, reduce space requirements and therefore lower costs for small and medium-sized enterprises, especially for places with land shortage like Hong Kong. The use of humanoid robots is conducive to the development of new industrialisation, providing a new impetus to the economic growth of the GBA. Over the years, HKPC has actively promoted the application of AI and robotics technology. A number of related research and development results have successfully helped companies optimise business and production processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.

The Summit this year brings together 14 top scholars and industry leaders from Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Singapore, the Chinese Mainland and other countries and regions. They include Professor Björn ESKOFIER, Head of Machine Learning and Data Analytics Lab from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Professor Angelo CANGELOSI from Machine Learning and Robotics of University of Manchester, Professor Jianping WANG, Dean of College of Computing from the City University of Hong Kong, Professor Archan MISRA, Vice Provost (Research) and Lee Kong Chian Professor of Computer Science from Singapore Management University, Mr Jens-Peter BRAUNER, CEO from Siemens Mobility Ltd (Hong Kong), Professor Qiang YANG, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer of WeBank, Professor Tong Boon QUEK, Chief Executive from the National Robotics Programme of Singapore, and leaders from startups such as Swiss-Mile, Etcembly, POLYN Technology, Cornerstone Robotics, Hong Kong Industrial Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Centre, and Tianji Intelligent & Robot.

These industry leaders in AI and robotics shed light on the latest technological trends in advanced manufacturing, new energy, life sciences, smart cities and large language models among many other areas. Prospects of AI, innovative applications in autonomous driving technology, and in-depth exploration of human-machine collaboration provoked deep thoughts among attendees, highlighting the significant role of AI and robotics in global production and their immense potential in improving operational efficiency and create new opportunities.

The previous two Summits were widely recognised by tech leaders and enterprises as a vital platform for learning and upgrading innovative AI and robotics technology. AI and robotic technologies are the most important in fostering smart manufacturing for Hong Kong and the nation, and are expected to drive new industrialisation and New Productive Forces in Hong Kong, and industry upgrades in the GBA.

HKPC has long supported the HKSAR Government in promoting I&T development and pushing the boundaries in applying AI and robotics technologies over the years. The successful hosting of this summit has enhanced Hong Kong's position as an international I&T hub and extended its global influence. It also helps foster a thriving AI and robotics integration ecosystem in Hong Kong, contributing to the technological progress and industrial upgrading of the GBA.

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The “GBA International Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Summit 2024” was officiated by Professor SUN Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry (front row, seventh from the right). The event also witnessed by the presence of Mr Emil YU Chen-on, Deputy Chairman of HKPC (front row, sixth from the right); Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC (front row, seventh from the left); Legislative Council members Professor Hon William WONG Kam-fai (front row, sixth from the left) and Hon Benson LUK Hon-man (front row, fourth from the right), alongside a group of expert speakers and industry elites. 

This year’s Summit brings together 14 top scholars and industry leaders from Germany, Israel, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Mainland and other countries and regions. 

This year's Summit features a special exhibition area where five exhibitors showcase the latest humanoid robot technologies from different countries and regions, and how they can be applied to emerging industries. 

Professor SUN Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, accompanied by Mr Mohamed BUTT, Executive Director of HKPC, visited the exhibition and interacted with the robots.