How Hong Kong Businesses Are Striking A Balance Through A Human-centric Approach To AI Integration

You may have noticed it more and more. Every time you scroll through your news feed or chat with a colleague, the buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) is hard to miss. But amidst all the chatter, there’s growing concern that businesses are losing that human touch.

Fortunately, while companies across the city are upgrading their tech, keeping people at the heart of their business is a major priority for many. Businesses, amidst their KPIs and ROIs, are inherently human. Profit margins are not just numbers on a balance sheet but directly tied to human connections and relationships.

“We are seeing a confluence of technologies coming together all at once,” says Eric Pulier, CEO of Vatom Corp, with many taking on a human-centric approach.

This post will guide you through how AI integration into Hong Kong businesses like Cathay Pacific strikes this fine balance, ensuring technology serves us and not the other way around.

Understanding Human-Centric AI

The human-centric AI approach is about creating technology that understands human values, ethics, and prioritizes the social impact of its actions. This approach differs from traditional AI by integrating societal well-being, user empathy and human-centered design rather than focusing solely on efficiency, performance or profitability.

For this to work, trust plays a key role for synergy to happen between humans and machines. By prioritizing user feedback with transparency, we’ve seen that AI can better align with society’s values. Other elements for people-friendly AI include:

• Accountability: AI should be accountable for its actions with mechanisms in place to monitor and address any negative impacts on society. This includes testing, auditing and documenting the decision-making processes to maintain integrity.

• Privacy: AI should prioritize privacy through data protection while making sure user data is handled ethically. Data should be encrypted, anonymized and managed in compliance with local privacy laws.

• Inclusivity: AI should be designed to consider and serve the needs of everyone, ensuring no one is marginalized or left behind. This can involve engaging with communities to understand their needs, incorporating diverse data sets and assessing AI’s impacts to promote fairness.

• Adaptability: AI systems need to adapt and learn in ways that align with human values while considering norms, user feedback and ethical considerations. 

Challenges in AI Integration

Getting AI technology adoption right in Hong Kong means facing tough challenges head-on. At its core, human-centric AI requires managing the complexity of integrating diverse technologies - including hardware, software and AI algorithms – that are compatible with each other.

This is especially true when it comes to integrating old legacy systems with new tech. “Deployed correctly – with the enabling (of) data, culture and skills – technology can help transform business operations, winning new customers and accelerating revenue,” says Paramjit Uppal, Founder and CEO of AND Digital. However, if done incorrectly, “there’s an increasing risk of expensive legacy technology projects with no clear return on investment.”

Another challenge is testing and validating AI with a human-centric focus. Unlike automated testing methods used in classical DevOps and software development, human-centered AI systems require testing and validation by human participants. AI systems learn from interacting with people, so including humans during the testing phase is important. However, recruiting a diverse group to account for bias can be costly and time-consuming.

Achieving Balance: Technology vs. Human Needs

AI should be viewed as a tool to improve human capabilities rather than replace them. To balance this dilemma, businesses interested in integrating AI can start by focusing on where decision-making or human creativity can be enhanced by AI analytics and data processing. Upskilling employees to work with new technology can also help them adapt to roles created by AI integration.

Some strategies companies can take to balance technology with human needs include:

• Establish AI Ethics Committees: Dedicated ethics teams assist employees to use AI responsibly, addressing biases and promoting fairness.

• Regular AI Impact Assessments: Periodic reviews can help mitigate any adverse impacts AI may have on society and employees. This also ensures that AI integration remains aligned with company values.

• Employee Involvement in AI Development: Involving employees in AI development allows the technology to meet real-world needs. This collaborative effort also makes employees feel valued alongside technological advancements in the business.

• Promote Cross-functional Collaboration: Combined efforts between IT, HR, and other departments ensure AI supports overall business goals and enhances employee well-being. A holistic approach helps create a more balanced and supportive work atmosphere.

AI Applications in Hong Kong

Companies like Cathay Pacific Airlines are starting to show how adopting artificial intelligence can walk hand-in-hand with human needs. 

Cathay Pacific

For Cathay, AI-powered “Fly Ready” was created to fix a problem. Developed initially to help with the influx of documentation passengers require to fly during COVID, this AI robot has removed back-office bottlenecks by freeing up agents and lowering human error. Fly Ready uses automation to draft customer emails, while Specialized AI is used to help document files. By customizing emails to fit each passenger’s unique situation, Fly Ready keeps communication personal, making interactions feel more human.

The airline immediately saw results. With the help of AI, over 200,000 hours of labor costs were reduced. “Automation was something which helped us to not just solve a problem, but the problem for Cathay at the time,” says Kunaal Masih, Head of Digital at Cathay Pacific.

Future Trends in AI Adoption

In a 2023 HKPC Digital Transformation survey, AI adoption is expected to take off.

The figures speak volumes. With many companies already adopting and using AI, it’s clear Hong Kong is on an upward trajectory. By 2030, the Generative AI market is expected to be worth over HKD 1 trillion (USD 136.7 billion). 

But what does it mean for you?

“The rise of generative AI presents an unparalleled opportunity for Hong Kong businesses to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and stay ahead of the curve. However, nurturing an AI-skilled workforce is essential to unlocking the full potential of these technologies,” says Robert Wang, Managing Director at AWS.

Hybrid Working and Robo Financial Advisors

Hybrid work is changing how we do our jobs, and AI is at its core. With smart sensors and machine learning optimizing workflow and productivity, companies can figure out when and where employees work best. In 2023, PwC announced initiatives to integrate Responsible AI into its entire workforce of 25,000 across all client services and operations departments.

“The world has changed profoundly in recent years, with fundamental shifts in the way we live, work, and interact. This (requires) businesses to adapt to new ways of operating, such as implementing remote work and greater emphasis on digitalization,” says Workforce Lead Partner Michael Cheng of PwC Hong Kong.

For investors, robo-advisors (or robos) can help automate how you invest in financial goals. The concept is simple – a robo acts like a brokerage account that automates investment decisions. Focusing on user-defined criteria to balance risk and return, robo-advisors typically charge lower fees compared to traditional advisors. This is in part due to automating processes like trade execution, portfolio rebalancing and asset allocation, which reduces human intervention, lowering operational costs.

HP Solutions for Human-Centric AI

At HP, human-centric AI is making its way into many of our products. Our intelligent print management injects artificial intelligence into the print process to make autonomous decisions and optimize workflow. Through the HP Smart app,  HP Smart Tank Printer users can monitor metrics like wear and tear, ink levels and connectivity, effectively anticipating issues before they occur. This helps you save on resources as well as streamlining the experience.

Z by HP is another exciting addition to our line-up, providing AI capabilities in portable laptops and desktops. With Z, you get AI-optimized performance to learn use patterns and allocate resources strategically. You also get:

• Enhanced collaboration: The Z’s AI-driven video and audio lets you look and sound your best during virtual meetings and webinars, even in less-than-ideal environments.

• Personalized experience: Your laptop’s AI companion gets to know your preferences over time, automatically adjusting user experience to match your unique habits.

• Increase security: AI-powered security protects your device from new and ongoing threats, continuously adapting to keep you safe from cyber risks.

Conclusion

Hong Kong’s AI scene is growing fast, and businesses, big and small, are using artificial intelligence to make work easier. Employees are learning more about AI because they know it can help them in their careers. And companies are looking for people who know their way around AI to streamline workflow while giving customers the most personable experience. 

All this means there’s no better time to explore the world of artificial intelligence in Hong Kong. Ready to bring a touch of humanity to your AI projects? Take the initiative; it’s one small step for you, one giant leap towards future-proofing your business - one satisfied customer at a time.