Only 3% of Hong Kong firms have fully integrated AI into workflows, survey finds

A recent survey conducted by consultancy firm Accenture reveals that only 3% of Hong Kong companies have fully integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into their workflows. Despite strong ambitions and interest in adopting AI, many firms face challenges such as resistance to organizational change and outdated digital infrastructure.

Robert Hah, the Hong Kong office lead of Accenture, highlights government initiatives and Hong Kong's robust capital markets as favorable conditions for AI adoption. However, outdated digital core infrastructure within companies continues to delay AI implementation. The "Hong Kong AI Index" survey evaluates businesses' AI readiness across 10 dimensions, with an average score of 0.42 for foundational capabilities and 0.47 for new AI and data essential capabilities.

Companies in Hong Kong anticipate significant benefits from AI adoption, including a 15% increase in productivity, a 14% boost in revenue, and an 11% reduction in costs over 18 months. However, only 12% of AI initiatives have scaled across organizations, and only 3% have achieved full AI integration. The survey emphasizes that the biggest hurdle to AI deployment is not technology but people, mindset, and operating models.

Hah suggests that companies should re-engineer their operations through the lens of AI rather than blindly introducing it to existing workflows. The report cites Cathay Pacific Airways as an example of a successful AI adoption, focusing on experimentation, quick testing, and proving emerging ideas of AI adoption. The Hong Kong government is actively working on refining governance and legal frameworks for AI, subsidizing enterprises' adoption of AI, and upskilling the labor force to create a favorable environment for AI integration.