Microsoft puts AI in Hong Kong primary school, commits to expansion as OpenAI pulls back
US technology giant Microsoft is showing a long-term commitment to providing generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) services Hong Kong with educational initiatives as its investee OpenAI restricts access in the city and mainland China.
In its latest push into classrooms, Microsoft worked with the Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School to provide AI services starting from last academic year that ended in June. About 220 pupils in grades 5 and 6 were given access to Microsoft's chatbot and text-to-image generation tools - powered by OpenAI's GPT and Dall-E models - in science classes.
The partnership comes after Microsoft reached deals with eight universities in Hong Kong last year to promote its AI services. The US tech giant's K-12 expansion comes through its global training partner Gamenoodlesoup, an education and entertainment technology developer. Anderson Yu, the founder of Gamenoodlesoup, said his firm has worked with the school since April 2023 to fit Microsoft Azure cloud services to the school's specific needs.
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"I think our education offerings in Hong Kong definitely will continue," said Fred Sheu, national technology officer at Microsoft Hong Kong. Microsoft plans to "roll out this solution to all the schools in Hong Kong. That's definitely our strategy and plan in the next few years."
Students Hoie Tong and Johnny Wong test a ship designed with the help of Microsoft's AI tools, and with guidance from their STEM teacher. Photo: Kelly Le alt=Students Hoie Tong and Johnny Wong test a ship designed with the help of Microsoft's AI tools, and with guidance from their STEM teacher. Photo: Kelly Le>
Microsoft has been heavily pushing its AI services in Asia and has maintained its commitment to Hong Kong even as rivals keep their distance amid US-China geopolitical tensions. OpenAI recently restricted access in the city to its application programming interface (API).
Sheu reiterated Microsoft's earlier guarantee to maintain its Azure AI services, which rely on OpenAI's models, saying the API restrictions have "no impact" on the tech giant. Microsoft has a 49 per cent stake in OpenAI's for-profit arm.
"All the universities ... our government-funded universities, already acquired this Azure OpenAI service, so they are qualified customers," Sheu said.
Microsoft's business in China has recently been the subject of political scrutiny back home. US lawmakers questioned Microsoft president Brad Smith last month about the firm's China operations. The executive said China accounts for just 1.5 per cent of its global revenue, and he confirmed the company is offering to relocate 700 to 800 employees to other markets.
For AI services specifically, Microsoft is left with the same challenge facing many other tech firms: proving the worth of GenAI in real-world applications.
Elsa Cheung Kam Yan, principal of the Jockey Club Primary School, said the use of AI can enhance the effectiveness of learning and teaching, as students will have "widened exposure" to information and more freedom to explore outside their textbooks.
The school, which has been working with Microsoft Hong Kong for 12 years, plans to expand the usage of AI to more classes, said vice-principal Philip Law Kam Yuen.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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