AI is a double-edged sword and users must accept full responsibility if they break the law, Hong Kong’s technology minister has said, ahead of the release of a locally developed tool powered by mainland China’s DeepSeek for free public use this year.
Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong issued the warning on Saturday in response to an incident in which a University of Hong Kong (HKU) law student allegedly used artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create pornographic images of female classmates based on publicly available photos and screenshots from social media.
The university issued a warning letter and is reviewing the case, while the privacy watchdog has initiated a criminal investigation. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has also pledged to explore international regulations and “best practices” for AI governance.
“The use of AI is a double-edged sword as it will prompt many issues while providing convenience to the public and a boost to the economy. So the key is to have proper guidance and a comprehensive legal framework,” Sun told a radio programme.
“AI is just a tool. Eventually, the users have to be responsible for its application and bear the relevant liability.”
Sun added that users should be aware of their legal responsibilities when using AI as Hong Kong prepares for the free public launch of “HK Chat” in the second half of the year.
