As emerging markets chart their own destinies regarding artificial intelligence, the city can serve as a nexus for responsible governance

There is a tendency to portray the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape as consisting of two bitter rivals – China and the United States. The remaining 80 per cent of the world's population, by virtue of their supposed dearth of scale, research and other critical overheads, are purportedly followers with no agency. The reality is more complex. The emerging global AI order is neither unipolar nor strictly bipolar. Instead, it is characterised by a swathe of middle powers hedging their options and optimising their interests against the backdrop of dominant players on either side of the Pacific.

That was my primary takeaway from the inaugural Hong Kong Global AI Governance Conference. In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Malaysia and Singapore are positioning themselves as critical hubs for data centres and semiconductor manufacturing, engaging with industry leaders in China and the US. Europe has ploughed ahead in imposing guard rails against the immensely powerful nascent technology. Despite persisting geopolitical instability and concerns over water availability, the Persian Gulf States are well-endowed to pursue data-intensive large language models and specialisation-oriented AI applications across energy, healthcare and education. India, France, South Korea and the United Kingdom have taken on the successive mantle of convening summits on global AI cooperation.

If Hong Kong is to remain relevant in the increasingly multiplex landscape, it must serve as a nexus of responsible AI governance for the global majority. An obvious starting point would be Hong Kong's legal system, which enjoys international repute and connectivity thanks to its bedrock of common law. Hong Kong can serve as a premier mediation and arbitration hub for AI disputes, and a standard-setter of consumer rights and legal liability precedents.