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HKBU International Symposium explores the far-reaching impact of Artificial Intelligence on humanities and society

28 Mar 2024

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(From left) Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government; Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; and Professor James Tang Tuck-hong, Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee
(From left) Dr Louis Ng Chi-wa, Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum; Professor Timothy Tong Wai-cheung, Chairman of the Research Grants Council; Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Mr Yi Fei, First-level Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Ms Michelle Li Mei-sheung, Permanent Secretary for Education; and Professor Huang Ping, Director of the Centre for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
HKBU representatives together with experts and scholars who are invited as the symposium’s keynote speakers.
Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, officiated at the opening and closing ceremonies.

The International Symposium on Humanities, Societies and Digital Futures, organised by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social Sciences at HKBU, was held on 21 to 22 March at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. Supported by the Hung Hin Shiu Charitable Foundation, the symposium brought together experts and scholars from around the world to explore the application and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the humanities and society.

HKBU’s dedication to promoting transdisciplinary education and research and its recent adoption of Humanities and Cultures as the new research cluster have fostered the development of technologies guided by the humanities, and explored the boundless potential of technologies for pushing the frontiers of the innovation and knowledge. Through this symposium, HKBU aims to further spark in-depth discussions on the impact of AI in Hong Kong and the region.

The opening ceremony of the symposium was officiated by Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, and Professor James Tang Tuck-hong, Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee, together with Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court, and Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU. Professor Sun said the rise of AI has not only brought enormous opportunities worldwide but has also sparked concerns and ignited debates over privacy protection, ethics and intellectual property rights, among others. The government has formulated the “Ethical Artificial Intelligence Framework” and the guidance on the applications and use of AI, as well as its ethical development. The government will also review and explore further enhancement to the existing laws and regulations in a timely manner.

In his welcome address, Dr Clement Chen said: “HKBU sees itself as a pivotal force in preparing the next generation in the face of an ever-evolving world. Our mission is to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem where faculty members and students from different disciplines converge to innovate and create impactful change. We have taken the initiative to transcend academic boundaries and initiate discussions on various intellectual journeys, encompassing areas such as education, ethics, and more.”

Officiating at the opening and closing ceremonies, Professor Alex Wai said: “HKBU organised this symposium in view of the rapid emergence and development of digital technologies such as AI, which has brought unprecedented opportunities and challenges to our lives. Scholars and experts from all over the world were invited to bring together ideas and wisdom from the East and the West to explore together the impact of AI on the future of humanities in terms of ethics, societies, economic development and education.” He also pointed out that the University’s mission is to nurture students with a broad vision and knowledge base, who are resilient and possess problem-solving skills through transdisciplinary education and research, so as to prepare them for their future career development.

The symposium features prominent keynote speakers from around the world, including Professor Carl Wieman, 2020 Yidan Prize and 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate, Cheriton Family Professor and Professor of Physics and of Education, Emeritus, Stanford University; Dr Wayne Holmes, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Society, University College London; Ms Kay Firth-Butterfield, Former Director, World Economic Forum, and CEO, Good Tech Advisory; Mr Tian Feng, Dean, SenseTime Intelligent Industry Research Institute, and Co-Director, Centre for Computational Law and AI Ethics Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Professor Dagmar Schäfer, Executive Director, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Germany; Mr Patrick Yeung, CEO, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; and Mr Edward Yau, Chairman of the Hong Chi Association and Former Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR Government. Mr Edward Ma, Secretary-General of the Yidan Prize Foundation, delivered closing remarks to draw the symposium to a close.

The two-day symposium attracted nearly 1.7 million online viewers who watched the live broadcast on various social media platforms from different parts of the world. For more information about the seminar, please visit the official website.