Hong Kong’s tech start-ups should focus on the practical applications of their products and ‘talk less’ about artificial intelligence (AI) when pitching to the US market, the CEO of a government-backed innovation hub has said, acknowledging geopolitical challenges.

Albert Wong Hak-keung, CEO of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, stated that despite Sino-US tensions, the city’s entrepreneurs could still derive valuable insights from Silicon Valley. ‘The west coast is a haven for entrepreneurship as it has a comprehensive ecosystem of funding and universities that have been doing this for the past six to seven decades,’ Wong remarked during a radio show.

However, he highlighted the necessity for Hong Kong businesses to illustrate how their products can be utilized rather than focusing predominantly on AI capabilities.

Increasing tensions surrounding advances in AI have stirred concerns between the United States and China, with Washington imposing restrictions on access to advanced chips crucial for powering the technology.

This rivalry intensified particularly after the introduction of a powerful AI model by the Chinese start-up DeepSeek, which presents itself as a cost-effective alternative to market leaders such as OpenAI, known for its ChatGPT tool.