Hong Kong wraps up GenAI banking sandbox, spotlighting agentic AI

From October 15 to 16, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Cyberport co-hosted the "Finance + A.I." forum, marking the successful conclusion of the second phase of the GenAI sandbox for the banking sector. According to the HKMA, more than 60% of the use cases explored agentic artificial intelligence, reflecting the industry's growing interest in advanced AI systems that can perform tasks such as automatic planning and multi-step execution within authorized boundaries.

At the forum, the HKMA introduced the "ART" framework, which stands for Accountability, Resilience and Trust, to support the responsible adoption of AI in banking. The framework includes updated regulatory guidance on responsible AI application, incorporating insights from the second phase of the GenAI sandbox. The HKMA also announced plans to build an AI training data sharing platform with Cyberport and the University of Hong Kong, with data quality assurance as a core design principle. In addition, the "GenAI Sandbox++" will be used to further test agentic AI applications, alongside a discussion paper on proposed governance arrangements for agentic AI, covering intent-based accountability, a registry of significant AI agents, and effective intervention mechanisms.

Yuen Kwok-hang, Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA, said that AI's evolution from generative to agentic is an important new stage in banking innovation. Under the "Fintech 2030" strategy, the ART framework is designed to provide a clear foundation for banks to develop and deploy AI responsibly, balancing innovation with sound governance, operational resilience and human oversight.