Microsoft puts AI in Hong Kong primary school, commits to expansion as OpenAI pulls back

Microsoft is expanding AI-related educational initiatives in the city, maintaining access to OpenAI’s models, while its China business draws scrutiny at home

Reading Time:2 minutes

Education University of Hong Kong Jockey Club Primary School students Hoie Tong and Johnny Wong use Microsoft’s AI platform on the company’s Surface computer on July 2, 2024. Photo: Kelly Le

Published: 6:00pm, 8 Jul 2024Updated: 9:44pm, 8 Jul 2024

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.

“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

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).