Cover 15 Hong Kong CEOs, Project Melo and Preface are leading the charge (Photo: courtesy of Preface and Project Melo)
15 Hong Kong CEOs, Project Melo and Preface are leading the charge (Photo: courtesy of Preface and Project Melo)
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Education initiative backed by 15 CEOs aims to train 5,000 students by March 2026
Hong Kong's education sector has received a significant boost with the launch of AI-5000, a free training initiative targeting 5,000 secondary students across more than 50 schools. The programme, set to officially launch this August at PMQ in Central during the Preface Conference, represents the city's largest AI literacy campaign for young people.
Preface founder and Gen.T honouree, Tommie Lo, partnered with Project Melo co-founders Arthur Shek, Kenny Lam, Louisa Mak and Stephanie Lo to develop the eight-hour curriculum, which covers OpenAI's five-stage AI development framework, prompting techniques and practical experimentation with AI agents.
The initiative has attracted backing from 15 prominent Hong Kong business leaders, including M+ museum chairman Bernard Chan, UOB Greater China CEO Christine Ip and McDonald's Hong Kong CEO Randy Lai amongst others. Other supporters include Link REIT CEO George HongChoy, incoming Jardine Matheson CEO Lincoln Pan and Olympic swimmer turned CEO, Yvette Kong of Arelyx.
Randy Lai (Photo: courtesy of Preface and Project Melo)
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On August 12, a pre-launch event at Preface's headquarters featured two panel discussions examining AI's role in education and its disruptive potential across industries. Speakers included representatives from Our Hong Kong Foundation, M+, UOB, McDonald’s Hong Kong, Project Melo, Arelyx, Chartwell Capital and Hong Kong secondary school principals.
The programme will roll out in schools from September 2025, with more than 20 university students from Project Melo assisting CEOs in delivering training sessions. Each participating school will accommodate over 100 students, ensuring broad reach across the city's secondary education landscape. The programme concludes in March 2026 with a showcase of student projects and an assessment of Hong Kong students' AI proficiency.
Update: As of October 2025, Preface and Project Melo have partnered with sustainable fashion brand Determinant for a series of fundraising events running until November 8, which will support its AI 5000 programme. This initiative will provide 5,000 underprivileged Hong Kong secondary students with eight hours of free AI training each. Each purchase of designated apparel directly funds AI education for students. For every T-shirt sold, one student receives a free AI class. The events take place at Determinant stores in Admiralty and Kai Tak, with all proceeds funding the training programme to equip Hong Kong youth with essential digital skills for their future.
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As Content Director at Tatler Hong Kong, Tara shapes the brand's editorial vision across social, digital and print, and reports on Asia's most influential figures — from CEOs and leaders across business, style and the arts. In her dual role as Head of VIP, she also drives the planning and execution of Tatler's flagship IPs, curating star-studded events and building the relationships and communities that define the brand. Born and raised in the Middle East, she honed her craft in Dubai, crafting communication strategies for luxury brands across the Gulf. Follow her on Instagram @tarasobti.
