Hong Kong to focus on infrastructure monitoring in first phase of ‘AI city brain’

The Hong Kong government has announced plans to prioritize infrastructure monitoring in the initial phase of its AI-powered urban management system. Officials discussed this development during a Legislative Council meeting where they explored the expansion of the AI system to encompass public services in subsequent stages. The initiative is spearheaded by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Eric Chan Kwok-ki, who chairs a task force dedicated to steering the programme.

Government agencies are urged to construct their own databases prior to integrating them into the "AI city brain" system. Chief Undersecretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Lillian Cheong Man-lei, revealed that the Lands Department’s geospatial database and the underground utilities system, which details water, gas, and electricity pipe conditions, will be among the databases incorporated.

Additionally, the Buildings Department’s system that transforms 2D building plans into 3D models, alongside highway, weather, and landslide monitoring information systems, will also be linked to the AI city brain.

The primary objective of this system is to construct a smart decision platform that can collect, share, and analyze interdepartmental data. This aims to enhance government capabilities in resource allocation, decision-making, prediction, and alerts, consequently improving urban resilience. The AI city brain’s first phase is set to be completed in the first quarter of 2028, with a budget allocation of HK$200 million (approximately US$25.48 million) for this stage.