Singapore, October 28, 2025 — The “AI Readiness in Workplace Survey 2025” results were released today by the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC). This survey examines the overall readiness, actual requirements, challenges, and future development opportunities of local enterprises in the application of artificial intelligence (AI). HKPC developed eight strategic recommendations to facilitate the comprehensive and thorough integration of AI across industries and to expedite enterprise digital transformation, based on these insights.
The HKSAR Government’s most recent Policy Address explicitly defines AI as a pillar industry for Hong Kong’s future development, as AI emerges as the primary engine of a new wave of industrial transformation. Local enterprises are under increasing pressure to expedite the deployment of AI, integrate AI into their core operations, and establish sustainable, AI-driven competitiveness in light of this trajectory. In September 2025, the HKPC Academy, which is a subsidiary of HKPC, conducted a survey to evaluate the current state of adoption. The survey was successful in interviewing approximately 800 local companies. The primary discoveries are as follows:
AI Applications Enter a New Phase: From Tool Trials to Full Integration
AI technology is moving from initial trials to comprehensive integration and has become an important support for enterprises’ digital transformation and strategic upgrades:
- Widespread use of AI tools: 88% of employees in surveyed companies have already used AI tools in their day-to-day work, mainly in customer service, data analysis, and marketing.
- Integrating AI into Formal Workflows: 92% of respondents plan to gradually introduce AI into related workflows in the future, with 24% planning to fully implement it within one year, indicating a strong willingness to drive adoption.
- Institutional and Governance Framework Development: 45% of the surveyed enterprises already have officially recognised AI platforms for employees to use, and more than half (54%) of them said they do not have a complete or ongoing AI governance framework or policy for the time being.
- Recognition of application benefits: Respondents believe that AI can help increase productivity, reduce production costs, improve decision-making, and enhance customer experience.
Enterprises Face Five Major Challenges in AI Application: Talent Gap and Data Security as Core Obstacles
Despite the increasing popularity of AI technology applications, enterprises still face multiple challenges in practice:
- Lack of AI Expertise and Training: Talent development lags technology, becoming the top hurdle to AI rollout.
- Data Privacy and Security Concerns: Enterprises have concerns about data handling, regulatory compliance, and risk management.
- Difficulty in Integrating with Existing Systems: Incompatible technical architectures leads to complex and costly deployments.
- Employee Resistance or Readiness Gaps: Weak digital culture and limited awareness of transformation contribute to slow implementation.
- High Implementation Costs: Cost pressures are particularly significant for SMEs with limited resources, impacting their willingness to adopt.
“Three Directions and Eight Actions” Lead Enterprises to Accelerate the Implementation of AI Applications
To address the above challenges, HKPC has put forward eight recommendations to plan a systematic AI transformation roadmap for enterprises, from human resources, strategic layout to organisational culture:
Establishing AI Foundations:
1. Develop a clear AI development strategy and long-term plan.
2. Strengthen leadership from the top and cross-departmental collaboration to establish a top-down transformation promotion mechanism.
3. Establish a data governance and security compliance framework, along with a trusted AI application foundation.
Deepening Operational Integration:
4. Implement AI skills training for all employees and cultivate a digital organisational culture.
5. Promote the integration of AI systems with internal corporate systems to lower technical barriers.
6. Deeply embed AI tools into business processes to improve operational efficiency.
Achieving Sustainable Impact:
7. Implement the “One Enterprise, One AI Coach” Scheme to empower AI professionals to continuously promote AI training and application within the organisation.
8. Establish an AI investment return assessment and optimisation mechanism.
Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Technology Officer of HKPC, said, “In the digital economy era, AI has become an indispensable core pathway driving digital transformation for enterprises. Its application has shifted from being the domain of the technical department to a necessary skill for all employees. We encourage enterprises to craft a clear AI development blueprint and systematically plan their future technological roadmap and talent strategy. Top-level design should lead business innovation to build sustainable competitiveness. HKPC will continue to play the roles of ‘promoter, connector, implementer, and gatekeeper’ to facilitate the deep integration of AI with industry. In the future, we will connect the four key elements of ‘standards, technology, talent, and scenarios’ to ensure that AI applications are responsible, scalable, and sustainable. Through demonstrative guidance, we aim to drive intelligent upgrades in the industry and help Hong Kong become a global AI+ model city, achieving dual enhancements in the economy and people’s livelihoods.”
HKPC Empowers Enterprises’ Digital Transformation with the “AI for All” Initiative
HKPC has officially launched the “AI for All” initiative to expedite the adoption of AI technology. This initiative comprehensively enhances the AI application capabilities of enterprise employees and the public through training empowerment, technical support, and industry collaboration, and assists enterprises in their digital transformation. HKPC is a pioneer in the development of an AI culture within the organisation, offering over 6,000 hours of AI training to its employees, with an average of 5.5 hours of training per individual. Over 100 internal AI application projects have been actively promoted by a variety of departments, and the innovative AI tool “HKPC Picasso” has been developed. This tool has significantly enhanced internal work efficiency and provided a transformation model for the industry.
HKPC provides enterprises with defined standards for data security, privacy protection, and ethics across the industry, assisting them in the establishment of AI governance frameworks and compliance guidelines. This support is provided in the context of enterprise AI skills. In contrast, the HKPC Academy consistently encourages the development of talent, offers professional courses, qualification certifications, and capacity enhancement programmes, and continues to supply AI professionals to the industry in order to enhance the industrial ecosystem.
The high demand for AI skills in the market has been reflected in the fact that HKPC Academy has conducted over 500 AI-related training activities, resulting in the training of approximately 22,000 individuals over the past two years. At present, HKPC Academy provides over 20 AI courses that instruct students in practical AI combat skills, ranging from basic to intensive. To facilitate the learning of corporate personnel, those who enrol in specific online courses are eligible for an additional nine online courses. HKPC Academy will also partner with prominent technology companies to invite instructors with practical experience to teach and introduce a series of free AI activities. This initiative is designed to assist corporate employees and the general public in developing their AI skills.
In terms of industrial applications, HKPC actively aligns with the policy objectives of the government, establishes a clear roadmap for the development of AI+ for enterprises, and validates the technology’s efficacy through scenario pilots. In an effort to ease the entry barrier for enterprises, HKPC not only offers “lightweight, low-threshold” AI solutions that encompass applications such as customer service automation, document intelligence, and demand forecasting, but also integrates approximately 250 digital solutions from the Mainland and Hong Kong, as well as numerous application cases, through the “Digital DIY” platform.
This platform provides SMEs and individuals with intuitive technical references and implementation paths, thereby enabling enterprises to rapidly achieve their initial transformation. Currently, AI technology has yielded tangible results in three key areas: the implementation of visual inspection and predictive maintenance in the field of smart manufacturing to enhance production capacity and yield; the use of AI attack and defence drill platforms to fortify enterprise protection capabilities in the cybersecurity sector; and the optimisation of transportation, environmental, and public service efficiency in the smart city sector through data analysis.
The HKPC Academy hosted the “HR + L&D Mixer” event on the same day as the publication of this survey, with the theme of “Redesigning Work and Employee Experience in the Age of AI.” 100 leaders from the fields of human resources, technology, and industry were invited to participate in a discussion regarding the influence of AI on job design, talent development, and future skills. The event aimed to encourage companies to enhance the employee experience and cultural construction during the transformation process.
