The wheels of technological progress are turning at full speed, but this time we face an unprecedented divide. As AI expands, a sharp contrast has emerged between the perspectives of tech providers and corporate users:
👤 The Provider’s View: Charles Radclyffe (AI Tech Developer)
His company developed an automated form-filling solution that slashes a process previously taking 2 weeks down to just 20 seconds. Despite the tech’s popularity, he is calling for:
🔖An “AI Tax”: He advocates for an “AI Minimum Wage,” where the government imposes measures to restrict AI usage.
🔖A Warning from History: Hailing from a region that endured a painful industrial transition and mass unemployment, he believes that without intervention, history will repeat itself.
👉 Core Philosophy: Human-centric; preventing social collapse.
👤 The User’s View: Oliver Conger (Business Owner)
His enterprise has deeply embraced AI with exhilarating results:
🔖Productivity Surge: Productivity has soared by over 20% in the last two years.
🔖Skills Reskilling: Instead of layoffs, the company provides training for employees displaced by automation, transitioning them to other departments.
🔖Policy Advice: Governments should prioritize supporting tech adoption and boosting productivity.
👉 Core Philosophy: Competitiveness-centric; creating new opportunities through transition.
⚠️ The Reality in Hong Kong: Efficiency is up, but what about security?
This debate feels particularly heavy in Hong Kong. Data shows that “AI-induced job anxiety” is far from groundless:
📉 Job Winter: In 2025, job vacancies across 69% of sectors in Hong Kong hit a 6-year low, with IT development, customer service, and administrative roles being the hardest hit.
📉 Lack of Job Security: According to a PwC survey, while 77% of Hong Kong employees reported increased productivity, only 24% felt that using AI contributed to their job security.
History teaches us that while technological progress creates new jobs in the long run, the transition for the “displaced generation” is excruciating and brutal. Past experiences show that governments often maintain a “laissez-faire” non-interference policy in free markets, while corporations tend to hire new talent externally rather than investing in internal reskilling.
Left in the lurch, the working class is forced to struggle through the “ebbs and flows” of the tide, enduring years of uncertainty and painful searching. We are about to witness how those in power decide whether this transition leads to collective success, or if they choose to let history repeat itself.
Reference:
BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjep33w1q7wo
pwc https://www.pwchk.com/en/press-room/press-releases/pr-290126.html
South China Morning Post https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346406/hong-kong-job-openings-hit-6-year-low-69-sectors-amid-ais-ascent?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article
科技進步的巨輪正全速轉動，但這次我們面臨的是前所未有的分歧。對於 AI 的擴張，供應商與企業用戶的觀點出現了鮮明對比：
👤 供應商觀點：Charles Radclyffe（AI 技術開發者）
他的企業研發了自動填表方案，能將原本需時 2 週的繁瑣工序，縮減至 20 秒。儘管技術大受歡迎，他卻呼籲：
🔖徵收「AI 稅」：提倡設定「AI 最低工資」，由政府限制 AI 的使用。
🔖歷史的警示：他來自曾飽受工業轉型痛苦、大量工人失業的地區。他認為若不加以限制，悲劇將會重演。
👉 核心理念：以人為本，預防社會崩潰。
👤 用戶觀點：Oliver Conger（企業經營者）
他的企業已深度擁抱 AI，結果令人振奮：
🔖生產力飆升：兩年內生產力提升超過 20%。
🔖技能再培訓：公司不裁員，而是為被取代的員工提供培訓，轉崗至其他領域。
🔖政策建議：政府應全力支持技術普及，提升整體競爭力。
👉 核心理念：競爭力為本，透過轉型創造新機。
⚠️ 香港現狀：效率提升了，但安全感呢？
這場爭論在香港顯得格外沉重。根據數據顯示，AI 帶來的「失業恐慌」並非空穴來風：
📉 職位寒冬：2025 年香港 69% 行業的職位空缺創 6 年新低，IT、客服、行政文書等職位首當其衝。
📉 職業保障缺失：根據 PwC 調查，雖有77%受訪香港員工表示生產力得到提升，卻只有24%的受訪者表示使用人工智能有助增加工作保障。
歷史告訴我們，科技進步長期雖會創造新職位，但對「被取代的那一代人」而言，轉型過程是極其痛苦且殘酷的。過往在面臨同類事件時，政府通常保持商業自由市場而採取不干擾政策、企業往往傾向對外招騁新型職位而不選擇內部培訓，身處勞工階層，只能在「順流逆流」中掙扎，經歷以年計的不安與探索。我們將見證掌權者怎樣決定這場轉型是邁向共同成功，還是決定重演歷史。
參考資料:
BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjep33w1q7wo
pwc https://www.pwchk.com/en/press-room/press-releases/pr-290126.html
South China Morning Post https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346406/hong-kong-job-openings-hit-6-year-low-69-sectors-amid-ais-ascent?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article