Hong Kong's technology secretary, Sun Dong, warned that artificial intelligence will exceed the economic and social impact of all previous industrial revolutions, and said the city is launching a HK$50 million (US$6.37 million) education programme to help workers adapt.
Sun, the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said his department is developing proprietary large language models (LLMs) and deploying AI applications for public use to prepare for the transition. "The impact of this AI wave on Hong Kong and its entire society will, I believe, exceed all previous industrial revolutions," he said in an interview. "As a new wave of development unfolds, many new opportunities will emerge. At the same time, some traditional sectors will gradually decline - this is an inevitable outcome."
Sun's bureau is building proprietary large language models, a move that aligns with the growing capabilities of Generative AI and LLM technologies worldwide.
Global graduate hiring under strain
Sun noted that employment difficulties among local university leavers mirror a worldwide trend. Even graduates from top American universities are feeling the pressure, he said, as companies recalibrate hiring around AI-driven workflows.
Why this matters for IT and development professionals
The acceleration of government-backed LLM projects and public AI tools signals demand for engineers who can build, fine-tune, and secure large-scale models. IT and development workers who deepen their knowledge of system architecture and model deployment will find roles shifting toward these areas. Practical resources, including courses on AI for IT & Development, help technical professionals move beyond basic automation into the design and operation of AI systems where new jobs are forming.
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