- Professor Hongbin CAI, Dean and Chair of Economics at HKU Business School, delivers the welcoming remarks.
The Forum on the Future of AI in Human Resource Management 2025, hosted by HKU Business School, in collaboration with The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association (HKCEA), was held on 16 May. The Forum united renowned experts and corporate leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities of HR management, as well as share practical experiences under current AI-driven innovations. Held at Rayson Huang Theatre at The University of Hong Kong, the Forum attracted industry leaders, academic experts, alumni and students, with 280 people in attendance and more than 4300 watching the live stream online. This forum marks the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership between HKU Business School and the HKCEA, which aims to drive in-depth integration of academic research and industry practice for the future.
Professor Hongbin CAI, Dean and Chair of Economics at HKU Business School, said in his welcoming remarks, "In the context of significant global shifts and the rapid advancement of AI technology, we should not only consider the impacts and transformations brought about by AI but also embrace these changes. We should prepare to enhance our adaptability and individual competitiveness in the AI era. The development of AI is rapidly changing the business landscape, and this forum aims to facilitate communication among enterprises. We hope the Faculty's research and exploration can be more closely applied across the business field, working across disciplines and the HKCEA to face uncertainty and explore future opportunities."
Mr. Fujun MA, Chairman of the Human Resources Committee at HKCEA, Director and Deputy General Manager of China Overseas Holdings Limited, remarked during his welcoming remarks, "AI is the tool, while people remain at the core. Innovation in AI-powered human resource management is fundamentally talent-driven. AI empowers HR by analysing vast talent datasets to improve accuracy in workforce planning and performance forecasting. AI also enhances managerial efficiency by fostering creativity and a strong sense of belonging among employees, ensuring that individuals are not replaced by technology but rather can learn to leverage AI to unlock greater potential."
Professor Jin LI, Area Head of Management and Strategy of HKU Business School, presented a keynote titled "The Compression Effect in AI-driven Talent Management." He highlighted three core areas affected by AI. The first is skill compression, which involves improved workforce performance, especially among lower-performing employees; narrowing skill gaps; and accelerating new talent development. Organisations should reevaluate talent demand and optimise workforce strategies accordingly. Next is motivation compression; as AI generates rapid, high-quality results, employees may lose motivation to strive for greater excellence, necessitating a rethink of incentive models and job structures. The third core area is team compression; AI may reduce the need for large teams, leading to smaller, more agile groups or even individual collaboration models with AI tools, impacting traditional organisational structures.
Subsequently, several business leaders shared their insights on the topic of "Practical Experiences in Implementing AI in Human Resource Management." Mr. Wenyang CAO, Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Auditor of China Overseas Land & Investment Limited, pointed out that AI tools do not replace humans through technology, but rather achieve "human-machine collaboration and complementary advantages." Administrative tasks can be automated by AI to enhance efficiency, with process-oriented work a key area for human-machine collaboration. With the support of AI tools, personalised experiences can be transformed into standardised productivity, improving the efficiency of knowledge transfer and enabling a transition from task executors to value creators. However, strategic work must be led by humans, as AI cannot replace the human role in handling complex decisions, emotional perception, and the transmission of values.
Mr. Yu WANG, Deputy General Manager of Human Resources Department at China Merchants Group, shared the company's preliminary explorations and practices in HR intelligence. He emphasised that future intelligent systems would have a deeper understanding of HR business scenarios and management logic, enabling them to directly address daily HR issues and provide personalised services, further promoting specialised division of labour. He believes that the future workforce will consist of both humans and a "digital intelligentsia," and they will work closely together. This digital intelligentsia will excel in cognitive aspects, while other will advance in the realm of applied wisdom.
Mr. Yueqiang ZHANG, Vice President of Yonyou Network Technology Company Limited, advocated that AI applications should be "AI+" rather than "+AI." The former represents disruptive transformation, while the latter simply overlays AI onto existing logic. He noted that the task structure of HR management will change, with future AI agents directly providing services. Therefore, HR managers need to enhance their capabilities, shifting from "understanding people" to "understanding artificial intelligence," becoming experts in organisational development and architects of human-machine collaboration. He emphasised that HR management should focus on human insights, complex decision-making abilities, and value judgments. HR management's long-term value lies in the efficiency of using technological tools and the ability to design humanised scenarios.
A panel discussion titled "Challenges and Opportunities in Human Resource Management in the AI Era" was moderated by Professor Jie GONG, Associate Professor of Management and Strategy at The University of Hong Kong. Panellists include Mr. Xingjun CHI, Vice President of the Innovation Institute at China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited; Mr. Kong YIM, Member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, Vice Chairman of China Merchants Port Holdings Company Limited; Mr. Liucheng ZHANG, Chief Human Resources Officer and General Manager of Human Resources Department at China Mobile Hong Kong Company Limited; and Ms. Xiaoyan LYU, Director of Human Resources at Huawei Hong Kong Research Center.
The speakers noted that AI will bring significant changes to future corporate organisational structures and internal management. HR professionals would need to master AI capabilities and guide their companies in applying AI in other areas. Beyond enhancing individual employee productivity, the more important goal is to improve overall corporate efficiency. Companies should embrace digitalisation and business intelligence. More critically, they should transition from digital transformation to 'digital intelligence,' accelerating the deployment of new digital infrastructure to enhance competitiveness. The trends of substitution, reinforcement, and enhancement brought by AI are inevitable. In the future, companies will need digital platforms, data management systems, digital employees, and highly skilled digital management teams to form a 'dual-model' management system that combines traditional management practices with shared service models, serving both humans and intelligent systems.
Representatives from both hosting organisations jointly presented certificates of appreciation to the keynote speakers, recognising their contributions to sharing industry knowledge.
