Hong Kong is building an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, promoting the upgrading and transformation of traditional industries, and fostering emerging sectors such as the low-altitude economy and financial innovation. However, none of this can proceed without the most fundamental "fuel"—data application.
Herbert Chia, Co-Chairman of International Data Industry Alliance, mentioned in an exclusive interview with Wen Wei Po that "digitalization" itself offers a lot of room for imagination. For example, private enterprises can leverage low-altitude economy data to develop new logistics applications or use data exchange to improve the efficiency of traditional finance. With AI, more new applications can be discovered, further enhancing Hong Kong's scientific research capabilities and its status as a data center hub.
Chia previously worked for a renowned venture capital fund, responsible for identifying promising innovation and technology enterprises.
"I believe there are two key conditions here. First, identifying industries related to 'digital native,'" he explained. The term "digital native" refers to industries that have been digital from day one, requiring no further digitization.
Second, the future potential of the business must be substantial, requiring discoverers to use more "imagination" to "create" application scenarios for the business.
Chia believes that the low-altitude economy currently meets these two requirements. The low-altitude data economy has been digital since its inception, and there is significant "room for imagination" in the development of this industry. How to utilize the data within the low-altitude economy and generate many unknown new applications with the support of AI will be a key topic for Hong Kong's low-altitude economy development in the coming period.
HK's 3D digital map opens for public use
Chan Yue-chun, Head of the Spatial Data Office, noted in an interview with Wen Wei Po that, to support the development of the low-altitude economy, the Lands Department launched a comprehensive 3D digital map of Hong Kong in March 2025, which is now fully open to the public. This map not only provides information on building and terrain heights but also includes data on land parcels, planning information, and population statistics, offering crucial support for the development of the low-altitude economy. Drone applications can use the 3D map to select the most suitable flight paths or takeoff and landing points, while low-altitude economy enterprises can develop business strategies based on population data and regional characteristics.
According to Chan, the development of the 3D digital map is divided into three parts: The first part covers road and pedestrian networks, which have been completed and are continuously updated, including data on hiking trails. The second part is indoor maps, covering around 1,200 iconic government buildings or public facilities, and future collaborations with various industries will further enrich the data. The third part is a fully visualized map of Hong Kong, including 360-degree street views, which has been rolled out in phases since 2022 and now covers the entire territory.
The Common Spatial Data Infrastructure (CSDI) currently hosts over 1,000 datasets, but the quantity of data is not the most important factor. The real value of data lies in its usage and practical applications. Some datasets may only be relevant to specific professional fields or departments, rather than for broad use.
Chan explained the application scenarios of data: Some datasets may only be downloaded once, but after being processed by third-party platforms, they could impact millions of users. For example, map-related data is used in navigation applications. Although the direct download numbers may not be high, the actual impact is still extensive.
Managing risks of AI and data application
"In the data business, if you only start collecting and organizing data when everyone already knows that 'data' is valuable, it's difficult to succeed because the first-mover advantage is already lost."
Chia noted that there are many emerging entrepreneurial opportunities in the digital economy, with many unknown areas yet to be developed, which precisely hold limitless potential. In the future, there is significant room for development in areas such as AI healthcare and the low-altitude economy. Additionally, risk management issues arising from AI or data technology represent another major entrepreneurial "frontier."
"Currently, patients can already consult doctors remotely via computers. The next step for the industry is to develop AI for diagnosis. Firstly, AI does not suffer from fatigue, and many diseases can be diagnosed based on experience and logic. Once AI is sufficiently trained, it can indeed achieve automated diagnosis, which would also help reduce medical costs and, in turn, ease the burden on patients."
However, he also mentioned that this raises another ethical issue: Who bears the responsibility for AI diagnosis? Should it be the company developing the medical system? In the medical field, accountability typically lies with doctors, which is similar to the situation with autonomous driving—a problem faced globally.
"Everyone is currently discussing one thing: What level of accuracy is considered 'acceptable?'"
Of course, to implement automation in areas like healthcare, society needs some trials. This is why Hong Kong has proposed a "sandbox" system in various innovation and technology development fields. Due to the nature of the healthcare industry, similar to testing new drugs, established procedures are required. Therefore, healthcare-related "sandbox" testing still faces certain difficulties, as the industry must first establish its own protocols.
Another major frontier, which Chia has long been concerned with, is how to manage the risks arising from AI and data technology.
"If someone today can reduce such risks, this could be called the 'frontier within a frontier.' Anyone who achieves success in this area will undoubtedly become a big winner in this wave of industrial innovation and upgrading."
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Chow Siu-kei; English Editor: Darius)
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