Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre (AISC) in Hong Kong has officially commenced operations and the AI Lab has also opened. The event was marked at a December 9 opening ceremony.
“The official establishment of Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre today will become an indispensable and important pillar of the development of AI in Hong Kong,” said Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Professor Sun Dong. “The supercomputing centre will not only provide advanced computing capabilities to promote industry development, but also become a cradle for converging and cultivating AI-related quality professionals.”
“The supercomputing centre will bring together talents specialising in computing power, data and algorithm technology, coupling it with Cyberport’s AI Lab, Cyberport will provide an innovative platform for AI ecosystem partners and enterprises to connect with relevant application scenarios, explore product innovations and integrate with technologies, facilitating the transformation and application of more technologies, thereby injecting new impetus into the high-quality development of Hong Kong’s economy,” he added.
Cyberport is Hong Kong’s digital technology flagship and incubator for entrepreneurship with over 2,100 members including over 900 onsite and over 1,200 offsite start-ups and technology companies. It is managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong Government.
“The computing power of the first-phase facility provides 1,300 PFLOPS this year, and it will increase to 3,000 PFLOPS next year to meet the growing demand for computing power in the technology sector,” said Cyberport Chairman Simon Chan.
“With the opening of AI Lab concurrently, it leverages the research and development capabilities of ecosystem partners to create a heterogeneous computing platform, which enables joint development of innovative AI products across different industries and use cases to facilitate the transformation and realisation of R&D outcomes as well as empowers communities and business sector to drive intelligent transformation,” he said.
“Additionally, it will enhance Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities to attract more cutting-edge technology projects and talents from Mainland China and around the globe to the city, thereby solidifying Hong Kong’s status as an international IT hub.”
To promote the development of AI in Hong Kong, the territory’s government announced in its 2023 Policy Address that Cyberport would set up an AISC in phases from this year onwards to provide research teams with the necessary computing hardware.
In addition, the Hog Kong Government also announced in the 2024-2025 Budget that HKD3 billion (AUD600 million) was allocated to Cyberport to implement a three-year AISS, which mainly provides funding support to five categories of eligible entities, including local institutions, research and development centres and enterprises to utilise the computing power of the AISC to achieve more breakthroughs in scientific research.
The first phase of the AISS was launched in early October and multiple applications from eligible entities, including AI start-ups, local institutions, R&D centres, and strategic enterprises, were received. The funding has also been set aside to facilitate works including strengthening the cyber and data security of AISC in addition to promotion and education.
It’s expected the scheme will allow the industry to make good use of the computing facilities as well as attract relevant talents, enterprises and research and development projects from Mainland China and around the world to land in Hong Kong, thereby providing the necessary support to facilitate the many aspects of local AI and related industries developments.
The AI Lab launched this week brings together the research and development capabilities of AI ecosystem partners in Hong Kong, providing them with an interactive space to showcase AI solutions and launch service products. Nearly 15 companies showcased their innovations at the ceremony, including local start-ups, strategic enterprises based at Cyberport, and ecosystem partners, to facilitate AI-related R&D and collaborations.
The AI Lab also provides AI ecosystem partners and enterprises with a platform to experience different supercomputing tools, explore product innovations, converge technologies, which could be applied to different industries and use cases to promote the transformation and realisation of innovative technologies, thereby driving new quality productive forces to foster the development of the digital economy and a smart city.
With the AISC as its core engine, Cyberport has built a comprehensive AI ecosystem that encompasses computing power, general and professional large models, model risk assessment, industry application support, governance and ethics discussions, and more, which gathers talent and innovative resources from the Mainland China and overseas to support innovative research and development and applications spanning across the AI ecosystem chain to accelerate industry development.
Currently, Cyberport houses more than 330 start-up enterprises specialising in AI and big data, including many strategic enterprises that have established operations in Cyberport, including D2 Intelligence, LAiPIC, Saunova, and beyond.
Cyberport also fosters collaborations with leading AI enterprises including Baidu, Huawei and Inspur Cloud, and interconnects with start-up enterprises with the combination of their R&D capabilities in computing development, large model building, and more to promote the innovation and application of AI research and development.
The strategic enterprises attracted to Hong Kong have invested capitals, technologies and talents to develop international headquarters. Through Hong Kong as an international springboard, they can go global to enable the internationalisation of their AI products and services.
