Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre (AISC), the first of its kind currently in Hong Kong, has officially started operations, and the AI Lab is also open concurrently.
Sun Dong, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry said AI is the most critical technology for “new quality productive forces” in the future.
Thus, the Special Administrative Region’s government has introduced a number of policies and measures to improve the development of the local AI ecosystem orderly and promote the “digital-intelligent” application of AI.
“The official establishment of Cyberport’s (AISC) today will become an indispensable and important pillar of the development of AI in Hong Kong,” said Sun. “The supercomputing centre will not only provide advanced computing capabilities to promote industry development, but also become a cradle for converging and cultivating AI-related quality professionals.
Simon Chan, chairman of Cyberport, said the computing power of the first-phase facility provides 1,300 PFLOPS this year, and it will increase to 3,000 PFLOPS next year to meet the growing demand for computing power in the technology sector.
“With the opening of AI Lab concurrently, it leverages the (R&D) capabilities of ecosystem partners to create a heterogeneous computing platform, which enables joint development of innovative AI products across different industries and use cases to facilitate the transformation and realisation of R&D outcomes as well as empowers communities and business sector to drive intelligent transformation,” said Chan.
“Additionally, it will enhance Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities to attract more cutting-edge technology projects and talents from Mainland China and around the globe to the city, thereby solidifying Hong Kong’s status as an international I&T hub,” he added.
To promote the development of AI in Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government announced in the 2023 Policy Address that Cyberport would set up an AISC in phases from this year onwards to provide research teams with the necessary computing hardware.
In addition, the HKSAR Government also announced in the 2024-2025 Budget that HK$3 billion were allocated to Cyberport to implement a three-year AISS, which mainly provides funding support to five categories of eligible entities, including local institutions, R&D centres and enterprises to utilise the computing power of the AISC to achieve more breakthroughs in scientific research.
The first phase of the AISS was launched in early October and multiple applications from eligible entities, including AI start-ups, local institutions, R&D centres, and strategic enterprises, were received.
The funding has also been set aside to facilitate works including strengthening the cyber and data security of AISC in addition to promotion and education. It’s expected the scheme will allow the industry to make good use of the computing facilities as well as attract relevant talents, enterprises and R&D projects from Mainland China and around the world to land in Hong Kong, thereby providing necessary support to facilitate the many aspects of local AI and related industries developments.
Meanwhile, the AI Lab brings together the R&D capabilities of AI ecosystem partners in Hong Kong, providing them with an interactive space to showcase AI solutions and launch service products.
Nearly 15 companies showcased their innovations at the ceremony, including local start-ups, strategic enterprises based at Cyberport, and ecosystem partners, to facilitate AI-related R&D and collaborations.
Further, the AI Lab provides AI ecosystem partners and enterprises with a platform to experience different supercomputing tools, explore product innovations, converge technologies, which could be applied to different industries and use cases to promote the transformation and realisation of innovative technologies.
