Autonomous AI Assault-and-Defence Demonstrates Subsequent-Technology Cybersecurity Expertise and Advance Regional Digital Safety Expertise Growth
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 August 2026 – The AI x Cybersecurity Problem, collectively organised by the Digital Coverage Workplace of the Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area Authorities, the Chinese language Academy of Our on-line world Research, the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Skilled Affiliation, and China Cell Hong Kong Firm Restricted, and co-organised by Hong Kong Cyberport Administration Firm Restricted, the Cyber Safety and Know-how Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Power, the Hong Kong Productiveness Council, Venustech Group Inc., and Hong Kong Cloud Peak Know-how Co., Restricted, held the Finals at present.
Following a 12-hour on-line qualifying spherical, a complete of 40 groups superior to the Last Competitors, together with 20 groups from the Chinese language Mainland, 18 from Hong Kong, and two from abroad areas. The Problem adopts an progressive AI-Pushed Twin (AID) competitors format, wherein synthetic intelligence (AI) executes the competitors and allows autonomous defence by AI brokers. Groups of as much as three members showcase their capabilities in leveraging AI applied sciences for automated vulnerability discovery and exploitation, competing for whole prize cash of HK$180,000.
The occasion brings collectively representatives from Authorities, trade, academia and analysis organisations to witness the newest developments in AI-powered cybersecurity innovation. Officiating company on the Opening Ceremony included Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Know-how and Business, Mr LI Shuguang, Director-Basic of the Basic Workplace of the Liaison Workplace of the Central Folks’s Authorities within the HKSAR, Mr WANG Jiang, Director-Basic of the Chinese language Academy of Our on-line world Research, Mr Daniel CHEUNG, JP, Performing Commissioner for Digital Coverage, Mr WANG Minwei, Deputy Director of the Our on-line world Administration of Guangdong Province, Dr Rocky CHENG, JP, President of the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Skilled Affiliation, and Ms SHI Xiaoping, Director and Chief Govt Officer of China Cell Hong Kong Firm Restricted.
In his opening remarks, the Secretary for Innovation, Know-how and Business, Professor Solar Dong, mentioned that AI is reshaping each side of individuals’s life at a panoramic velocity. He famous that though innovation might at instances deliver new threats, these identical applied sciences also can spur defensive capabilities. As such, the Authorities champions an “AI versus AI” technique, leveraging AI to forge the strongest shields to successfully handle dangers related to the usage of AI.
Professor Solar added that the Authorities is constantly strengthening associated insurance policies, pointers and moral frameworks, in addition to conducting common cyber-attack-and-defence drills to higher put together for cybersecurity readiness. Via multi-pronged efforts, the Authorities hopes to information society to use AI responsibly, foster a wholesome ecosystem, and strengthen city-wide resilience in face of cyber assaults.
Addressing AI-Period Cybersecurity Challenges Via Expertise Growth
The speedy development of AI is reshaping the worldwide cybersecurity panorama. AI has advanced from a supporting instrument for safety evaluation and menace monitoring right into a know-how able to autonomously setting up assault chains and bypassing present defence mechanisms. This has considerably lowered the technical limitations to cyberattacks, making subtle assault strategies extra automated and accessible. Menace actors can leverage AI for clever vulnerability discovery, automated penetration testing, and even the creation of extremely convincing deepfake content material, enabling stealthier and extra persistent cyberattacks.
As rising threats equivalent to mannequin safety dangers, information poisoning, mannequin theft, phishing assaults, provide chain vulnerabilities and automatic exploitation proceed to evolve, the demand for interdisciplinary expertise with experience in each AI and cybersecurity is changing into more and more pressing. In response, the organisers intention to advertise the sensible software of AI applied sciences via this hands-on competitors whereas cultivating a brand new technology of cybersecurity professionals geared up with cross-disciplinary experience.
AI-Pushed Assault-and-Defence Competitors Platform
In contrast to conventional Seize the Flag (CTF) competitions, this 12 months’s Problem adopts an progressive AI-Pushed (AID) competitors format. Taking part groups leverage AI-powered automated methods to analyse the competitors setting supplied by the organisers, establish vulnerabilities and exploit them. The automated capabilities of the AI brokers embrace data gathering, vulnerability discovery and flag submission. The competitors setting incorporates each vulnerabilities present in real-world eventualities and simulated zero-day vulnerabilities that will exist in software program methods.
The problem design attracts on ideas from worldwide cybersecurity competitions and incorporates sensible working eventualities in addition to simulated zero-day attack-and-defence environments, testing individuals’ skill to use AI applied sciences to real-world cybersecurity challenges. The Problem goals to reinforce individuals’ sensible attack-and-defence expertise and innovation capabilities, promote the analysis and software of AI safety applied sciences, and nurture a brand new technology of cybersecurity expertise geared up with each strategic imaginative and prescient and sensible experience. Via these efforts, the competitors seeks to strengthen capabilities in addressing AI-driven cyber threats.
Authorities, Business, Academia and Analysis Communities Be part of Forces to Advance AI Safety
This 12 months’s Problem brings collectively stakeholders from authorities, trade and analysis establishments to drive innovation in AI safety applied sciences, strengthen cybersecurity capabilities and domesticate future expertise.
Mr Wang Jiang, Director-Basic of the Chinese language Academy of Our on-line world Research, mentioned, “AI applied sciences are reshaping the worldwide cyber attack-and-defence panorama. Whereas they decrease the limitations to cyberattacks, additionally they drive the evolution of safety safety from reactive response to proactive and clever defence. On this technological contest, utilizing know-how to counter know-how has turn out to be an inevitable development. By specializing in sensible AI attack-and-defence capabilities, this competitors goals to establish rising expertise and contribute to constructing a extra reliable and clever our on-line world.”
Ms Shi Xiaoping, Director and Chief Govt Officer of China Cell Hong Kong Firm Restricted, mentioned, “As one of many organisers of this competitors, China Cell Hong Kong has devoted substantial sources to constructing an progressive AI attack-and-defence competitors platform. Via steady know-how funding and ecosystem improvement, we actively fulfil our company social accountability whereas showcasing Hong Kong’s innovation and management in AI cybersecurity to the world.”
Dr Rocky CHENG, JP, President of the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Skilled Affiliation, concluded, “AI-driven cyberattacks and agentic AI-related dangers have emerged as a few of the most vital cybersecurity threats at present. In opposition to this backdrop, cultivating interdisciplinary expertise with experience in AI system design, improvement and sensible attack-and-defence capabilities has turn out to be an vital pillar in strengthening Hong Kong’s total cyber resilience.”
The Awards Presentation Ceremony will likely be held in late September 2026 through the China Cybersecurity Week to recognise groups which have demonstrated excellent efficiency within the competitors. The organisers encourage enterprises and organisations to constantly strengthen their cybersecurity governance, usually overview data system dangers, improve information safety measures and enhance cyber incident response capabilities. Younger skills are additionally inspired to pursue alternatives in synthetic intelligence and cybersecurity, creating their experience via coaching, skilled certifications and hands-on competitions. Members of the general public and organisations may additionally make use of the cybersecurity data, coaching programmes and help providers supplied by the Hong Kong Pc Emergency Response Crew Coordination Centre (HKCERT) and different related organisations, serving to to foster a safer, safer and reliable digital ecosystem.
Please obtain the high-res photographs HERE.
Picture Captions:
| 1. The Finals of the AI x Cybersecurity Problem. |
| 2. Officiating company, together with Dr Rocky CHENG, JP, President of the Hong Kong Cybersecurity Skilled Affiliation,Mr Daniel CHEUNG, JP, Performing Commissioner for Digital Coverage, Mr LI Shuguang, Director-Basic of the Basic Workplace of the Liaison Workplace of the Central Folks’s Authorities within the HKSAR, Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Know-how and Business, Mr Wang Jiang, Director-Basic of the Chinese language Academy of Our on-line world Research, Mr WANG Minwei, Deputy Director of the Our on-line world Administration of Guangdong Province and Ms Shi Xiaoping, Director and Chief Govt Officer of China Cell Hong Kong Firm Restricted (from left to proper) preside over the launch ceremony of the AI x Cybersecurity Problem, marking the official graduation of the competitors. |
| 3. Officiating company and representatives of the organisers and co-organisers, together with Hong Kong Productiveness Council, pose for a bunch photograph on the Opening Ceremony, demonstrating their shared dedication to advancing innovation in AI and cybersecurity and nurturing regional AI safety expertise. |
| 4. Professor Solar Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Know-how and Business, delivers a speech on the Opening Ceremony, declaring that AI is reshaping each side of individuals’s life at a panoramic velocity. He famous that though innovation might at instances deliver new threats, these identical applied sciences also can spur defensive capabilities. As such, the Authorities champions an “AI versus AI” technique, leveraging AI to forge the strongest shields to successfully handle dangers related to the usage of AI. |
| 5. The 40 finalist groups showcase progressive AI-driven cybersecurity applied sciences by independently designing and deploying autonomous AI brokers to compete in a simulated attack-and-defence setting. |
The issuer is solely answerable for the content material of this announcement.
About Hong Kong Pc Emergency Response Crew Coordination Centre
Managed by the Hong Kong Productiveness Council (HKPC), Hong Kong Pc Emergency Response Crew Coordination Centre (HKCERT) is the centre for coordination of pc safety incident response for native enterprises and Web Customers. Its missions are to facilitate data disseminating, present advices on preventive measures towards safety threats and to advertise data safety consciousness.
HKCERT collaborates with native our bodies to gather and disseminate data, and coordinate response actions. HKCERT can be a member of the Discussion board of Incident Response and Safety Groups (FIRST) and the Asia Pacific Pc Emergency Response Crew (APCERT). We change data with different CERTs and act as a degree of contact on cross-border safety incidents.
Concerning the Hong Kong Productiveness Council
The Hong Kong Productiveness Council (HKPC) is a statutory physique established in 1967, devoted to enhancing the productiveness and competitiveness of Hong Kong enterprises via world-class utilized R&D, progressive know-how providers, and built-in manufacturing options. As a market-oriented, worldwide R&D organisation, HKPC leverages its deep experience and in depth trade expertise in key areas equivalent to AI, superior manufacturing, life and well being know-how, inexperienced know-how and new power to drive new industrialisation and help the expansion of rising and future industries.
HKPC focuses on addressing companies challenges and industrial know-how wants, selling the total integration between technological and industrial innovation. Via know-how switch, product innovation, mental property safety and commercialisation of R&D outcomes, the Council fosters collaboration with the native enterprise group in addition to high world R&D establishments, delivering added worth to industries and advancing the event of latest productive forces. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been extensively recognised over time, profitable an array of native and abroad accolades, reinforcing Hong Kong’s function as a world innovation and know-how centre and a sensible metropolis.
To assist enterprises capitalise on Hong Kong’s strengths in worldwide connectivity to develop into world markets, HKPC gives complete abroad growth providers tailor-made to crucial areas together with product improvement, know-how, manufacturing, and administration, enabling companies to efficiently go world from Hong Kong.
HKPC can be dedicated to offering well timed and sensible help to SMEs and startups with well timed and sensible , aiding them in accessing Authorities funding programmes. Via its FutureSkills coaching initiatives, HKPC helps each trade and academia keep forward in newest digital and STEM applied sciences, nurturing a future-ready expertise pool for Hong Kong.
For extra data, please go to HKPC’s web site: 
www.hkpc.org/en.
