Viewpoint by Dr. Yip, President & Chief Operating Officer, HKBN Group
AI development is no longer a matter of isolated technical upgrades—it is reshaping the foundational capabilities of enterprises. Dr. Ni Quiaque Lai believes that AI, networks, and computing power are forming a powerful multiplicative effect: networks unlock computing power, computing power drives AI, and AI in turn empowers networks. The three reinforce one another and are becoming indispensable pillars of digital transformation.
As generative AI moves into a more mature phase of application, enterprise transformation is entering the era of agentic AI. Unlike earlier automation tools, agentic AI does more than process information or generate content—it can take part in planning, decision-making, and execution. That means AI will gradually shift from an assistive tool to the core of business processes, helping enterprises move from people-driven operations toward a higher degree of intelligent operations.
Yet true AI adoption cannot rest on model capability alone. Dr. Lai notes that as AI becomes deeply embedded in day-to-day operations, networks, data, computing power, security, and the application ecosystem all become more critical. What enterprises need is not merely a single AI application, but a complete system spanning infrastructure to business scenarios, data governance to security and compliance, and cloud deployment to cross-border connectivity. This also explains why network infrastructure is growing even more important. The deeper AI applications go, the more enterprises depend on low-latency, highly reliable, high-bandwidth networks; the more agents there are, the faster the growth in internal and cross-regional data traffic, system connectivity, and real-time response requirements. Future competition will not be about AI tools alone, but about a complete digital-intelligent foundation and the ability to collaborate across ecosystems.
At the regional level, Hong Kong occupies a distinctive position. It understands mainland culture and the business environment, while also offering an international outlook, an open and free market, a mature financial system, world-class transport and communications networks, and a growing concentration of research and innovation talent. For enterprises, Hong Kong is not only a preferred springboard for going global—it is also becoming an important regional hub linking the mainland, Southeast Asia, and global markets. Dr. Lai believes that as demand rises for cross-border cloud deployment, overseas business expansion, and the instant transmission of massive volumes of data, Hong Kong’s network and data-centre capabilities will unlock further value. Through faster, more stable, and more secure cross-border connectivity, enterprises can rapidly extend their businesses, data, and applications into different markets and connect with broader global opportunities.
The next stage of AI will belong not to any single technological breakthrough, but to enterprises and cities that can integrate AI, networks, computing power, data, and ecosystems. Agentic AI is a catalyst for enterprise transformation; complete infrastructure and an open ecosystem are what truly allow that catalytic effect to be released.
