Only 3% of Hong Kong firms have fully integrated AI into workflows, survey finds
Only 3 per cent of Hong Kong companies have fully integrated AI into their workflows, with many facing hurdles including resistance to organisational change and outdated digital infrastructure, a survey has found. Consultancy Accenture, which polled 150 companies and released the results on Wednesday, said the survey suggested businesses had a strong desire to adopt artificial intelligence (AI)…
A recent survey conducted by consultancy firm Accenture has revealed that only 3% of Hong Kong companies have fully integrated artificial intelligence (AI) into their workflows. Despite a strong desire among businesses to adopt AI, many are struggling to put it into practice due to hurdles such as resistance to organizational change and outdated digital infrastructure.
Robert Hah, the Hong Kong office lead of Accenture, attributed the low rate of AI integration to a gap between companies' ambitions and their actual implementation. While the city boasts favorable conditions for AI adoption, including government initiatives and a robust capital market, the challenge lies in changing operating and organizational models, as well as outdated digital core infrastructure.
The "Hong Kong AI Index" survey, which evaluates respondents' AI readiness across 10 dimensions, found that Hong Kong companies scored an average of 0.42 out of 1 in foundational capabilities and 0.47 in new AI and data essential capabilities. Business leaders in the city have set ambitious goals for AI adoption, expecting AI to increase productivity by 15%, revenue by 14%, improve customer experience by 14%, and reduce costs by 11% within an 18-month period.
However, only 12% of AI initiatives have expanded across organizations to deliver impactful outcomes, and only 3% have fully integrated AI into their business strategies. Hah emphasized that the biggest issue with AI deployment is not technology but rather people, mindset, and operating models. He suggested that companies should re-engineer their operations using AI rather than simply introducing it to existing workflows.
Successful examples, such as Cathay Pacific Airways' experimentation-driven approach to AI adoption, highlight the importance of identifying AI use cases that can bring value to operations. The Hong Kong government is actively working to create a favorable policy environment for AI adoption, including refining governance and legal frameworks, subsidizing enterprise adoption, and upskilling the labor force.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
