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Insurance Will Propel Hong Kong’s AI Ambition

Paid Post:Manulife Hong Kong3-MIN READ3-MIN Listen

Advertising partnerPublished: 9:00am, 14 Aug 2026

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At the SCMP China Conference on July 7, Chief Executive John Lee identified AI as central to Hong Kong’s push to become a global international innovation and technology centre.

In his keynote speech, Lee spoke about the city’s first five-year development plan, a blueprint aligned with China’s National 15th Five-Year Plan that will shape Hong Kong’s growth and deepen its integration with the mainland.

The direction is clear. Hong Kong is well positioned to strengthen its role as an international financial centre while advancing AI adoption. Significant public investment is already under way, from new AI research infrastructure to funding schemes designed to attract talent and accelerate adoption.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most rapidly ageing societies. At the same time, the Greater Bay Area is becoming more integrated, with people and capital moving more freely across borders. For insurers, responding to these shifts will require faster decision-making, better use of data and more personalised services. AI can help make that possible, but only if insurers step forward to build capability and apply the technology responsibly.

This is a pivotal moment for Hong Kong and for our industry.

From AI ambition to insurance impact

The government is backing its ambitions with concrete measures. These include the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre at Cyberport, a HK$3 billion AI subsidy scheme, the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute (due to launch later this year), and a new Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy that met for the first time in June.

Hong Kong can become a global reference market for how insurance supports health and financial resilience in a longevity economy. As a Core Participating Insurer in the Insurance Authority’s AI Cohort Programme, Manulife is helping to build that market by concentrating its AI leadership in Hong Kong, developing AI capability across the industry and sharing what we learn with regulators and peers.

We apply the same technology in our own operations. Our bilingual AI assistant provides customers with round-the-clock support. AI SalesPro synthesises data so our more than 11,000 agents in Hong Kong spend less time on research and more on advising customers. Another AI-powered tool supports agents with underwriting and new business enquiries, helping to speed up processes and decision-making.

Independence as the new legacy

By 2046, more than a third of the Hong Kong population will be 65 or above, according to government statistics. Longer life expectancy brings greater demand for accessible healthcare and stronger financial planning to fund longer retirements.

Our recent Asia Care Survey found that around 90% of Hong Kong respondents want to remain self-sufficient for as long as possible, rather than relying on family support. On average, they expect to allocate 71% of their assets to fund their own future needs. Independence, for both parents and their children, is becoming a defining goal.

Insurance is fundamental to supporting longer, more independent lives. As one of Hong Kong’s largest insurers, we are adapting to these changes in demographics and expectations. AI supports this shift by enabling faster underwriting and claims processing, delivering more personalised health and retirement insights, and simplifying decision making. The aim is straightforward: reduce friction and make long-term planning easier to manage.

Value customers can feel across the GBA

At the China Conference, John Lee highlighted the economic importance of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster and Hong Kong’s position as a bridge between the mainland and international markets. This was echoed by speakers from the Insurance Authority and the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers. As the Greater Bay Area becomes more integrated, financial services will increasingly operate across the region.

Technology will be essential in managing this complexity. AI can help insurers analyse data more efficiently, identify risk patterns across markets and provide more consistent service to customers across the region.

Hong Kong’s insurance sector, with its international outlook and established regulatory framework, is well placed to support this shift, helping customers access protection, healthcare planning and retirement solutions that reflect how they live and work across the Greater Bay Area.

Adding life to years

Manulife Hong Kong has been a trusted name for more than 125 years, and today is the city’s largest MPF provider, with one in three Hongkongers a customer. We see these latest developments as another defining chapter. AI will not replace the fundamentals of insurance, including trust, sound advice and long-term commitment. Instead, it can strengthen them.

As Hong Kong advances its AI ambitions and deepens integration with the Greater Bay Area, insurers have a responsibility to raise the bar, applying technology in ways that genuinely improve the lives of customers.

If we do that well, AI will not simply modernise our industry. It will help more people plan with confidence, navigate longer lives and secure their financial futures, while reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a leading financial centre and innovation hub. Success will not be measured only by how many years we live, but by how many years we live well.