Joint Circular on the Expansion of Generative Artificial Intelligence Sandbox (2026-03-05)

Circulars Email: HKMA E-mail Alert of 06 March 2026 (05:00 p.m. HKT)

Document Information

Title: Joint Circular on the Expansion of Generative Artificial Intelligence Sandbox (2026-03-05)

Type: Circulars

URL: https://brdr.hkma.gov.hk/eng/doc-ldg/current/20260305-2-EN

Email Received: 2026-03-06 19:30

Summary Created: 2026-03-06 13:00

English Summary (6335 chars)
Quick section switch
Management Summary
  • Purpose / Background:
    This joint circular announces the expansion of the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Sandbox to GenAI Sandbox++, broadening its scope beyond banking to include securities and capital markets, asset and wealth management, insurance, MPF, and stored value facility sectors. This initiative aims to provide a risk-controlled environment for financial institutions to develop and test AI-based solutions.
  • One-line conclusion (what changed / what needs to be done):
    The GenAI Sandbox++ is now open for applications from a wider range of financial institutions, offering access to computing resources and regulatory guidance for AI innovation.
  • Key Changes (3-8 bullets):
  • Expanded scope to include securities, asset management, insurance, MPF, and SVF sectors.
  • Renamed to GenAI Sandbox++ to reflect the expanded scope.
  • Provides participants with complimentary access to GPU computing resources at Cyberport's AI Supercomputing Centre.
  • Offers targeted supervisory guidance from respective regulators and technical support from Cyberport.
  • Introduces GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory workshops to foster cross-sector and cross-boundary collaborations.
  • Encourages rapid prototyping and translation of problem statements into practical use cases.
  • Key Dates / Deadlines:
    Applications are open now until 30 June 2026.
  • Applicability / Impact scope:
    Applicable to Authorized Institutions (banks), Authorized Insurers and Licensed Insurance Broker Companies, MPF Approved Trustees and Principal Intermediaries, Licensed Corporations (securities and futures), and Stored Value Facility Licensees.
  • Recommended management actions (3-7 actionable bullets):
  • Review the circular to understand the expanded scope and benefits of GenAI Sandbox++.
  • Identify potential AI use cases relevant to your institution's operations within the financial sector.
  • Collaborate with technology partners to develop problem statements and potential solutions for testing.
  • Prepare and submit applications for the GenAI Sandbox++ before the 30 June 2026 deadline.
  • Explore opportunities for cross-sector collaboration through the GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory workshops.
  • Allocate resources for participation in the sandbox, including potential technical and supervisory engagement.
Detailed Summary
  1. Document overview (nature, purpose, scope)
    This is a joint circular from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Insurance Authority (IA), and Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA), referred to as the "four financial regulators." The purpose of the circular is to invite regulatees to apply for participation in the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Sandbox++. This initiative is an expansion of the existing GenAI Sandbox, broadening its scope to cover the securities and capital markets, asset and wealth management, insurance, mandatory provident fund (MPF), and stored value facility sectors, in addition to the banking sector.
  1. Main requirements (group by topic; state what must be done)
  • Application for Participation: Institutions are invited to apply for participation in the GenAI Sandbox++.
  • Access to Resources: Participants will receive complimentary access to graphics processing unit (GPU) computing resources at Cyberport's AI Supercomputing Centre.
  • Support and Guidance: Participants will be provided with targeted supervisory guidance from their respective regulators and technical support from Cyberport.
  • Collaboration: GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory workshops will be conducted to foster sector-specific, cross-sector, and cross-boundary AI application development. Institutions are encouraged to collaborate with technology partners to translate problem statements into practical use cases for testing within the sandbox.
  1. Key changes (vs previous requirements)
    The primary change is the expansion of the GenAI Sandbox's scope to include five additional financial sectors (securities and capital markets, asset and wealth management, insurance, MPF, and stored value facilities) beyond the initial banking sector. This expansion is marked by the renaming of the initiative to GenAI Sandbox++.
  1. Important dates & transition
    Applications for the GenAI Sandbox++ are currently open and will close on 30 June 2026.
  1. Impact and risks (operations/compliance/IT/data/reporting)
  • Operational Impact: Institutions can leverage the sandbox to test and develop innovative AI solutions, potentially leading to improved operational efficiency, risk management, and customer engagement. The provision of computing resources and technical support can reduce the barrier to entry for AI adoption.
  • Compliance Impact: The sandbox offers a controlled environment for testing AI applications, allowing institutions to explore innovations while receiving regulatory guidance. This can help mitigate compliance risks associated with the adoption of new technologies.
  • IT/Data Impact: Institutions may need to integrate or adapt their IT infrastructure and data management practices to effectively utilize the sandbox resources and develop AI solutions. Data governance and security will be crucial considerations during the development and testing phases.
  1. Compliance action checklist (practical steps)
  • Understand the expanded scope and eligibility criteria for GenAI Sandbox++.
  • Identify relevant GenAI use cases for your institution within the specified financial sectors.
  • Assess internal capabilities and identify potential technology partners.
  • Develop clear problem statements and proposed solutions for testing in the sandbox.
  • Prepare and submit applications through the designated channel by the 30 June 2026 deadline.
  • Allocate necessary resources (personnel, budget, IT) for sandbox participation.
  • Engage with respective regulators for specific guidance and support.
  1. Appendices/attachments summary (if any; 1-3 sentences each; total <= 20%)
    The circular mentions an Annex which sets out further details on the application process, including assessment criteria. This Annex is crucial for understanding how to apply and what criteria will be used to evaluate applications for the GenAI Sandbox++.
中文摘要 (3625 chars)
快速切換摘要區塊
管理層摘要

目的/背景:
香港金融管理局(HKMA)、證券及期貨事務監察委員會(SFC)、保險業監管局(IA)及強制性公積金計劃管理局(MPFA)為應對生成式人工智能(GenAI)在金融領域的快速發展,聯合推出「GenAI Sandbox++」計劃,旨在擴展現有GenAI Sandbox的適用範圍,涵蓋銀行、證券期貨、資產管理、保險及強積金等多元金融行業。

一句話結論(文件要你做什麼/改了什麼):
四個金融監管機構邀請合資格機構申請參與「GenAI Sandbox++」計劃,以受控環境測試GenAI解決方案,並獲得額外資源與指導。

關鍵變更(3-8 點):

  • 計劃範圍擴展至涵蓋銀行、證券期貨、資產管理、保險及強積金等五大金融行業。
  • 參與機構可獲互聯網數據中心(Cyberport)提供的免費圖形處理單元(GPU)運算資源。
  • 參與機構將獲得各自監管機構提供的針對性監管指導及互聯網數據中心的技術支援。
  • 推出「GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory」工作坊,促進跨界別及跨地域的合作,推動創新應用。
  • 鼓勵參與機構與科技夥伴合作,將問題陳述轉化為可行的測試用例。
  • 引入「AI對AI」策略,利用AI評估AI生成內容的風險。

重要日期 / 截止日:

  • 申請開放日期: 即時。
  • 申請截止日期: 2026年6月30日。

適用對象 / 影響範圍:

  • 銀行業: 銀行條例下的認可機構。
  • 證券期貨業: 證券及期貨條例下的持牌法團。
  • 資產管理業: 未具體列出,但與證券期貨業涵蓋範圍可能重疊。
  • 保險業: 保險條例下的認可保險人及持牌保險經紀公司。
  • 強積金業: 強積金計劃條例下的強積金獲准受託人及主要中介人。
  • 儲值支付工具營運商: 支付系統及儲值設施條例下的儲值支付工具持牌人。

管理層建議行動(3-7 點,務必可執行):

  1. 評估參與意願與價值: 審視公司在GenAI技術應用上的潛力與策略,評估參與Sandbox++計劃是否符合公司創新發展方向。
  2. 組建跨部門團隊: 成立由業務、科技、風險、合規等部門組成的專責小組,負責研究申請資格、制定測試方案。
  3. 識別潛在應用場景: 根據業務需求和技術可行性,識別適合在Sandbox++環境下測試的GenAI應用場景,優先考慮可解決實際痛點或提升效率的方案。
  4. 深入了解申請要求: 仔細閱讀並理解Annex中關於申請流程、評估標準等詳細資訊,確保提交的申請資料齊全且符合要求。
  5. 探索合作機會: 考慮與潛在的科技夥伴建立聯繫,以便在「GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory」工作坊及後續測試中能有效協作。
  6. 預留資源與時間: 計劃獲批後,需要預留相應的內部資源(人力、時間)來支持測試工作,並積極參與監管機構提供的指導與支援。
  7. 規劃風險管理策略: 預先思考和規劃針對GenAI應用潛在風險(如數據隱私、偏見、誤導性內容等)的緩解措施,並將其納入測試計劃。
詳細摘要
  1. 文檔概述(性質、目的、適用範圍)
  • 性質: 由香港金融管理局(HKMA)、證券及期貨事務監察委員會(SFC)、保險業監管局(IA)及強制性公積金計劃管理局(MPFA)聯合發佈的通告。
  • 目的: 邀請各金融監管機構的受規管機構申請參與「GenAI Sandbox++」計劃,以提供一個受控的環境,讓機構得以開發和測試生成式人工智能(GenAI)解決方案。該計劃是現有GenAI Sandbox的擴展,旨在促進GenAI技術在不同金融領域的創新應用,提升營運效率、風險管理和客戶參與度。
  • 適用範圍: 涵蓋以下類別的機構:
  • 銀行條例下的認可機構。
  • 保險條例下的認可保險人及持牌保險經紀公司。
  • 強積金計劃條例下的強積金獲准受託人及主要中介人。
  • 證券及期貨條例下的持牌法團。
  • 支付系統及儲值設施條例下的儲值支付工具持牌人。
  1. 主要要求(按主題分組,說清楚「要做什麼」)
  • 申請參與: 合資格機構需主動向其各自的監管機構提交參與「GenAI Sandbox++」的申請。
  • 技術資源獲取: 獲選參與的機構可獲得香港互聯網數據中心(Cyberport)的「GenAI Sandbox++」計劃提供的免費圖形處理單元(GPU)運算資源。
  • 監管及技術支援:
  • 參與機構將獲得其各自監管機構提供的針對性監管指導。
  • 參與機構將獲得香港互聯網數據中心提供的技術支援。
  • 促進創新與協作:
  • 舉辦「GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory」工作坊,旨在促進跨界別、跨地域的用例開發。
  • 鼓勵機構與科技夥伴合作,進行構思(ideation)和快速原型開發(rapid prototyping),將問題陳述轉化為實際的測試用例。
  • 風險管理探討: 鼓勵探索「AI對AI」策略,例如使用AI來自動檢查AI生成內容的質量,以管理AI採用的風險。
  1. 關鍵變更(對比既有要求/舊政策)
  • 擴展行業覆蓋: 從原先僅限於銀行業,擴展至證券期貨、資產管理、保險及強積金等行業,為更多機構提供GenAI測試平台。
  • 增強資源與支援: 除了原有的風險受控環境,今次更提供免費的GPU運算資源(於Cyberport),並加強了監管與技術支援的整合。
  • 強調協作與跨界應用: 「GenAI Sandbox Collaboratory」工作坊的設立,強調了跨機構、跨地域協作和知識共享。
  1. 重要日期與過渡安排(含實施/生效/截止)
  • 申請開放日期: 即時。
  • 申請截止日期: 2026年6月30日。
  1. 對機構的影響與風險(營運/合規/IT/資料/報告)
  • 營運影響: 允許機構以較低風險的環境測試和部署GenAI解決方案,有潛力提升營運效率、改善客戶服務、優化風險管理流程。
  • 合規影響: 參與計劃的機構需要遵守各自監管機構設定的準則和要求,並在測試期間確保數據隱私、系統安全及合規性。計劃本身旨在協助機構安全地探索GenAI應用,從而降低未來全面部署時的合規風險。
  • IT/資料影響: 需要機構評估其現有IT基礎設施與GenAI技術的兼容性,並確保數據在測試過程中的安全與合規處理。機構需要準備相應的數據集用於訓練和測試AI模型。
  • 報告影響: 測試結果和相關數據可能需要向監管機構報告,以供審閱和評估。
  1. 合規動作清單(checklist)
  • [ ] 審閱通告內容,理解「GenAI Sandbox++」的目標、範圍與參與資格。
  • [ ] 評估機構在GenAI應用上的策略和潛在需求。
  • [ ] 識別一至兩個具體、可行的GenAI應用場景(Use Case)。
  • [ ] 考慮並尋找潛在的科技合作夥伴。
  • [ ] 仔細研讀「Annex」中關於申請程序、評估標準等詳細資訊。
  • [ ] 準備申請所需的相關文件和資料。
  • [ ] 依循各自監管機構指定的渠道,在2026年6月30日前提交申請。
  • [ ] 若獲選,積極參與監管機構提供的培訓、工作坊及監管指導。
  • [ ] 在測試過程中,嚴格遵守數據保護、資訊安全及其他相關的監管要求。
  • [ ] 記錄測試過程、結果及發現,以便後續匯報和應用。
  1. 附件/附錄摘要(如有;每項 1-3 句;總量 <= 20%)
  • Annex: 該通告包含一個Annex(附件),其中詳細說明了「GenAI Sandbox++」的申請程序、評估標準、以及參與計劃的機構需要履行的責任。此Annex是申請參與計劃的關鍵參考文件,為機構提供了詳細的指引。