Hong Kong outlines three-pronged strategy for AI agent development at World Internet Conference
Hong Kong's innovation chief detailed plans to promote AI agent development through industry-academia collaboration, risk governance, and international cooperation, aligning with national '15th Five-Year Plan' goals. The government will trial AI agents internally under strict oversight and issue saf
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Innovation, Science and Technology outlined the city’s strategy for developing artificial intelligence agents at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province on 4 November 2026. Speaking at a forum titled "Mutual Trust, Connectivity and Interoperability of Intelligent Agents – Global Cooperation and Innovation for Building an Intelligent Internet", the official said AI agents are a transformative technology accelerating AI development and application.
The national 15th Five-Year Plan encourages innovation in areas including AI agents and supports exploration of general artificial intelligence pathways, the secretary noted. Hong Kong is aligning with that strategy by designating AI as a core industry and pursuing a dual-track approach that balances development with governance, and institutions with industry.
First, the city is promoting industry-academia-research collaboration to widen AI agent use. The InnoHK platform hosts a centre focused on AI agents, helping to apply the technology across sectors. The government also plans to trial AI agents internally for standardised administrative tasks under strict supervision, ensuring security, controllability and traceability.
Second, Hong Kong is strengthening risk governance for AI agents. The Digital Policy Office has published an AI ethics framework, guidelines for generative AI, and added AI agent guidance to the latest government AI application manual. Next year, the government and the Hong Kong AI Research Institute will jointly release society-wide safety management guidelines for AI agents.
Third, the city is fostering international exchange and cooperation on AI. As a global hub with world-class research capabilities and a mature business environment, backed by the Greater Bay Area’s AI supply chain, Hong Kong plans to host major international AI conferences. It will support the national Global AI Governance Initiative and promote open-source, collaborative innovation.
The secretary concluded that AI agents should be developed with a "human-centred, upward and virtuous" philosophy, and that Hong Kong is ready to work with international stakeholders to make AI agents a public good that drives prosperity.
