Hongkongers and businesses in the city are getting optimistic about artificial intelligence, while gaps in knowledge, talent and finance remain major factors that prevent businesses from adopting AI, according to Google Hong Kong's first edition of the Smarter Digital City - AI for Everyone whitepaper. In this year's whitepaper, Google Hong Kong sought to examine the current level of understanding and take-up of AI within both the resident population and Hong Kong businesses; identifying triggers for and barriers to AI deployment; and uncovering opportunities and strategies to accelerate AI development in Hong Kong. Currently, AI is embedded in a wide variety of digital tools. From smart search recommendations to e-commerce platforms to food delivery apps, AI is now a mainstay of daily life.
Google Hong Kong suggests that a growing number of Hong Kong residents have turned to AI. For example, 95% of Hongkongers said the amount of time they had spent online had increased since the onset of COVID-19. Time spent online increased from an average of 3.5 hours to 5 hours per day. In particular, online shopping and banking have surged. Average weekly search interest in online shopping in Hong Kong grew 26% after the outbreak of COVID-19, and 91% of residents have used online banking, according to the study.