AXA Hong Kong and Macau and Manulife Hong Kong have been selected among the first participants in Hong Kong's GenA.I. Sandbox++, amid efforts to test AI applications under regulatory oversight.
The cross-sector initiative, led by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Securities and Futures Commission, Insurance Authority and Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority, in collaboration with Cyberport, aims to promote the responsible adoption of generative AI across financial services. Manulife said only five insurers were selected for the programme and will contribute two use cases spanning the insurance and Mandatory Provident Fund sectors, while AXA will focus on AI governance, cyber resilience and risk mitigation.
AXA plans to use Cyberport’s AI Supercomputing Centre to develop and test approaches to strengthening enterprise risk management and AI governance in a controlled environment. The insurer said its work will focus on robust governance, data protection and proactive cyber-risk controls, while also seeking to improve customer and distributor confidence in the safe and responsible use of AI.
Meanwhile, Manulife’s insurance use case, BetterClaims AI, will explore how generative AI can support advisers handling medical and critical illness claims enquiries. Built on approved policy content, the AI-powered claims knowledge assistant is designed to provide structured and clearly referenced information on coverage, policy definitions and claims guidelines at the point of customer engagement.
Manulife’s second project, developed with Cyberport, is a GenAI-assisted red-flag tool for reviewing intermediary fraud risks in MPF-related transactions. Combining AI, document intelligence and analytics, the tool is designed to help investigators identify and monitor potential risk patterns but will operate solely as a decision-support system rather than automate investigations or enforcement actions. The participation of both AXA and Manulife builds on their involvement in the Insurance Authority’s wider AI initiatives and underscores the insurance sector’s growing role in Hong Kong’s push to establish itself as a regional hub for responsible and secure AI innovation.
The GenA.I. Sandbox++ provides participating institutions with a controlled, risk-managed environment to test and pilot innovative AI use cases. As part of the programme, participants receive access to advanced computing resources through Cyberport’s AI Supercomputing Centre, supporting experimentation and development while promoting responsible AI deployment across the financial sector. The initiative also encourages collaboration between financial institutions, technology providers and regulators to foster innovation and strengthen Hong Kong’s fintech ecosystem.