Ada Chung, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD), Hong Kong

​​​​​​1. How do you use your role to promote trustworthy emerging technologies while ensuring that policies remain inclusive and practical?

As the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data in Hong Kong, I occupy a unique position that requires me to, as part of my duty, monitor technological developments and their implications for personal data privacy.

To address the risks posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), I led the drafting and publication of various guidance documents, including the “Artificial Intelligence: Model Personal Data Protection Framework” (2024) and the “Guidance on Ethical Development and Use of AI” (2021), to promote trust and accountability in the development and deployment of AI across all sectors of society.

In developing these guidelines, we actively engaged with various stakeholders, including service providers, industries and businesses, information technology personnel and general users, to ensure that our recommendations are actionable, practical and align with their needs.

2. What’s a moment in your career when you saw firsthand how technology or a new policy changed a citizen’s life for the better?

As the former Registrar of Companies, I spearheaded the digitalisation of company incorporation and company information registration services in 2011 and 2012.

With the launch of the electronic incorporation service, the time required to incorporate a business in Hong Kong has been substantially reduced from four days to less than an hour, making starting a business in Hong Kong much more convenient and efficient.

The electronic filing service also helps to reduce compliance costs, enhance transparency and facilitate business operations.

These initiatives have also created a more favourable business environment for enterprises, and further strengthened the city’s position as a leading international business and financial centre.

3. What was the most impactful project you worked on this year, and how did you measure its success in building trust and serving the needs of the public?

My Office published the “Checklist on Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI by Employees” (“Checklist for Employees”) in March this year to help organisations develop internal policies or guidelines on employee use of generative AI while complying with the requirements of the privacy law.

As the Checklist for Employees provides practical and actionable advice to organisations, it has been very well received. Both public and private organisations in Hong Kong quickly adopted it to formulate their internal AI policies or guidelines, to foster trustworthy use of AI at work.

We would make reference to the Checklist for Employees in our next round of compliance checks on the use of AI by organisations.

4. What was one important lesson you learned this year about designing for real people? This can be about a specific project or a broader lesson about your work.

Given the rapid pace of technological progress, we must adopt a proactive, balanced and flexible regulatory approach, recognising that the development and safety of new technologies are of equal importance and it is crucial to prevent or pre-empt irregularities before they occur.

Although AI security has been a priority in my Office’s compliance work this year, I have ensured that public awareness and knowledge of AI security are also strengthened through our education and promotion activities, and that our regulatory approach does not hinder or stifle innovation.

To cite an example, my Office organised the “Privacy-Friendly Awards 2025” to recognise the commitment and performance of 157 organisations, including enterprises, public and private organisations as well as government departments, in the protection of personal data privacy.

The Awards encouraged organisations to go beyond mere legal compliance and embrace a privacy-by-design approach to showcase their proactive commitment in protecting personal data privacy.

We have also invited the award-winning organisations to share their good practices and practical experiences with others with a view to cultivating a privacy-friendly culture in the community.

5. We hear a lot about AI. What's a practical example of how AI can be used to make government services more inclusive and trustworthy?

In the Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address, the Chief Executive stressed that AI has effectively enhanced the efficiency of public services.

For example, various government departments and the Government’s general enquiry hotline 1823 are now using AI chatbots to handle public enquiries about the Government’s services, thereby facilitating access and increasing trust and efficiency.

Another example is the HKEcoLink, an AI-powered environmental management system which provides precise decision support for environmental protection in Hong Kong.

6. How are you preparing for the next wave of change in the public sector? What new skill, approach, or technology are you most excited to explore in the coming year?

With AI being designated by the Hong Kong Government as the main driver of a new scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, I think we need to keep abreast of the latest technological and regulatory developments, both locally and globally.

New AI technologies, such as agentic AI and embodied AI, will surely be areas worth exploring.

As co-chair of the Ethics and Data Protection in AI Working Group of the Global Privacy Assembly, my Office will continue to contribute to and guide discussions and exchanges within the international privacy community on this important subject.

7. What advice do you have for public sector innovators who want to build a career focused on serving all citizens?

As the Privacy Commissioner, my advice to public sector innovators is that data, as the cornerstone and essential driver of technological innovation, must be handled safely, responsibly, transparently and in compliance with the law.

Protecting personal data privacy helps to strengthen public trust in technology and is essential to driving success in innovation.

​​​​​​​8. What inspires you to build a more inclusive and trustworthy public sector?

I believe that a more inclusive and trustworthy public sector is instrumental to the successful delivery of public services.

The digital divide, and in particular the relative lack of digital literacy among our elders, remains a real challenge. I firmly believe that technological progress should leave no one behind and that all levels of society should be able to enjoy the benefits of technological innovation.

As my Office regularly advises the Government and other organisations on how to build a smart city that respects and protects privacy, we are always guided by the principle that technology should be developed safely, responsibly and with trust, and that it should empower rather than exclude.

​​​​​​​9. If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream project be?

If I had an unlimited budget, I believe my Office would be able to develop an all-embracing AI sandbox, open to all organisations and business sectors, with a view to guiding them on how to protect personal data privacy throughout the AI development and use lifecycle.

​​​​​​​10. Outside tech, what excites you the most?

Practising law and charitable work.