By William Wong Kam-fai

Last year's report on the work of the government first proposed the "AI +" initiative. The "+" refers to scenario applications, evolving from a focus on AI research and development to practical implementations today. Having engaged in AI research for over 30 years, I am more than pleased to see the rapid advancements in AI in recent years, especially in China, where state-supported AI has developed quickly despite various obstacles. For instance, during the Spring Festival, the domestically produced AI large model DeepSeek launched its R1 version, becoming a global topic of conversation.

Here, I summarize four breakthroughs brought by DeepSeek:

1. Breaking Through the Chip Blockade: The U.S. has long restricted the export of high-end chips to China to suppress its AI development and has prohibited other countries from selling lithography machines for manufacturing high-performance chips to China. DeepSeek has achieved technological breakthroughs that reduce reliance on chips, helping the nation overcome the chip blockade.

2. Overcoming Barriers to High-End AI Use: Previously, the U.S. dominated AI development and restricted the use of its high-end AI in China. However, DeepSeek's performance rivals that of OpenAI's ChatGPT-4, allowing high-end AI models to be utilized across various sectors in China, including public welfare, business, governance, and national defense.

3. Reducing High Costs: While other countries can use ChatGPT without restrictions, the high cost and closed-source nature deter many users. DeepSeek offers an open-source version available to any country or enterprise, making it easier for AI to enter government, business, and everyday applications.

4. Breaking the Invisible Constraints of Western Cultural Thought: AI developed in the West is often fed with databases containing Western cultural values, resulting in outputs that reflect Western viewpoints. In contrast, DeepSeek's database is rich in both Western and Eastern cultural values, allowing it to produce more balanced results and overcome biases of perspective.

Outlook One: Enhancing Government Efficiency

Since ChatGPT cannot be used in Hong Kong now, DeepSeek fills the gap in high-end AI systems. Moreover, as an open-source system, it is available for government and private enterprise use. The Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center (HKGAI), funded by the government, recently launched the HKGAI V1 large model based on DeepSeek, utilizing "full parameter fine-tuning" and ongoing training. It is expected that the government will effectively use DeepSeek for its administrative work, alleviating the workload of civil servants, compensating for future staffing reductions, and enhancing governmental efficiency.

Outlook Two: Helping Businesses Reduce Costs and Expand Operations

While the business sector in Hong Kong has not widely adopted AI, DeepSeek's cost-effectiveness and open-source nature suggest that savvy private enterprises will leverage its advantages for business expansion. In particular, the HKGAI V1, developed with government funding, will offer free service components that private enterprises can utilize to enhance operational efficiency and lower costs.

Outlook Three: Enriching Knowledge of Chinese Culture

Currently, Hong Kong predominantly uses Western AI systems, which often produce biased or distorted outputs regarding Eastern matters, particularly those related to China. The widespread introduction of DeepSeek, which incorporates Eastern thinking and Chinese culture, can broaden users' perspectives, allowing for multifaceted exploration of issues rather than a singular Western viewpoint. As Hong Kong promotes modern national education, the existing AI systems lack sufficient knowledge of Chinese culture, and DeepSeek can effectively address this gap.

Hong Kong has long played a role in "bringing in and going out" (attract foreign investment and go global), providing support for mainland enterprises to expand their overseas business. The presence of DeepSeek in Hong Kong will not only facilitate local government and business adoption but also assist DeepSeek in expanding internationally, promoting the global development of AI enterprises and positioning DeepSeek as a key project for advancement.

The author is a professor and a Hong Kong member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

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