Hong Kong to expand AI use on 1823 platform to vet public inquiries by end of year

The Hong Kong government's 1823 platform for public inquiries plans to expand its use of artificial intelligence (AI) later this year, according to the Digital Policy Office. The AI will aid in transcribing residents' calls, summarizing emails, and triaging submissions to streamline processing by frontline staff. Acting commissioner Daniel Cheung Yee-wai explained that this expansion aims to improve service quality while reducing the need for additional manpower.

Assistant commissioner Simon Lam Kwok-wai anticipates a 15% reduction in call handling time and a 30% decrease in email processing time. An AI-powered triage system will help prioritize urgent and complex matters, potentially cutting the time for assigning inquiries to their respective departments from two days to just a few hours.

Meanwhile, a trial of agentic AI will commence in the fourth quarter, involving tasks that can be automated to free government employees from routine administrative duties, allowing them to focus on more complex issues. Deputy digital policy commissioner Ng Ping-chung outlined that this pilot project will initially be implemented within the Digital Policy Office to ensure a safe and controlled approach before broader implementation across other government agencies.