Policy Address 2026: Hong Kong will build an ‘AI City Brain’ for urban management

Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, announced in his annual Policy Address the construction of an "AI City Brain" to enhance urban management and improve emergency response capabilities. This initiative follows a similar project developed in Hangzhou, China, by Alibaba 10 years ago, which has since been adopted by various Chinese cities.

The AI City Brain will function as a centralized system, gathering real-time data from multiple sources including CCTV cameras, smart sensors, government databases, social media, and mobile apps. The Security Bureau will lead the task force, comprising representatives from the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Development Bureau, and the Innovation, Technology, and Industry Bureau.

In the first phase, the digital infrastructure of the Security Bureau's Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre will be integrated with the AI system. The Transport Department plans to develop an AI traffic management platform to process real-time traffic data and aid in planning for extreme weather and major public events. The police force will establish an "Inter-departmental Major Incident Platform" to consolidate data from all units during significant incidents.

This integration aims to provide comprehensive information on casualties and missing persons, and use AI for swift understanding and timely support in such situations. Additionally, Lee announced the formation of an independent commission to investigate the causes of the Wang Fuk Court fire, which resulted in 168 deaths and forced thousands to evacuate their homes in Tai Po last November.

Multiple individuals have been arrested in connection with the fire, and authorities have amended laws to enhance the maintenance of older buildings. The government is currently drafting a bill to criminalize bid-rigging, which will be presented later this year.