Survey: 78.3% of youngsters in HK see generative AI as an irreversible trend

A majority of youngsters in Hong Kong have used generative artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT and they believe AI is an irreversible trend, a survey revealed.

Youth IDEAS, a group under the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups' Youth Research Centre, gathered responses from 558 online questionnaires covering people aged 15 to 35 between June and July. The research centred around the employment situation among youngsters and challenges they face with the emergence of generative AI.

The study revealed that 78% of youngsters, or 439, had used generative AI, of which 73.1% believed this can enhance productivity and 42.8% said it helps a lot in academic research. However, 61.3% of them said the biggest challenges of using generative AI is the difficulty of identifying the accuracy of the information it generates and 35.8% believed it's hard to master the questioning skills. 

The study found that 78.3% of interviewees agreed generative AI is an irreversible trend and 81.5% believed it's inevitable to work with AI. However, 75.4% of youngsters said the development of generative AI will impact their career choices, whereas 66.7% agreed that the technology will replace a large number of jobs in traditional industries.

On the other hand, some youngsters also worried that generative AI may bring certain risks to the society, including fake messaging (67.7%), intellectual property infringement (43.9%), data security breach(40%), privacy (38.7%) and ethical issues (30.8%), said the survey. 

Commenting on the survey results, Tony Lau Hon Yiu, convener of the employment and the economy group said, “Generative AI is the trend in the future, the government should set up a special committee to set up guidelines on the potential risks of generative AI and the public's responsibility to monitor the development of the technology."

Meanwhile, Keith Leung Wai Kee, a member of the employment and economy group said the government can popularise the usage of AI such as chatbots to provide personalised service, and set up a trial spot in an innovative way to educate the public on the convenience and advantages of technology.

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We are bringing Digital Marketing Asia to Hong Kong from Southeast Asia! Hear all about the latest trends in the digital space with 200+ brilliant minds at Digital Marketing Asia - Hong Kong on 26 and 27 October at The Mira Hong Kong. Uncover thought-provoking and customised strategies that help brands connect with audiences effectively.