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The Faculty of Law at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and SenseTime, a global leading AI software company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the collaborative advancement of technology and law, enhance the accessibility of legal information, and build further public good through inclusive technology. The two parties will explore the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) model for enhanced access to legal information, drawing on Sensechat, SenseTime’s Cantonese large model. The AI model will support the digital transformation of legal information provision and the industry at large in Hong Kong. It will also be made available to the public in Hong Kong, promoting broader and more ready access to legal information, with a view to enhancing everyday life.

Drawing on SenseTime’s Cantonese large model, the AI model seeks to provide accessible, around-the-clock legal information services to address the public’s questions and informational needs in relation to commonly encountered legal issues.

Building on Sensechat’s leading large model capabilities, the AI model for enhanced access to legal information is currently under joint initiative by CUHK and SenseTime. The model reflects a deep understanding of the legal system and tradition and their sociocultural contexts, delivering professional-level – yet accessible – legal information. Through this platform, the public can gain convenient access to legal information relevant to their everyday needs or circumstances.

Professor Chao Xi, Dean of the Faculty of Law of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, said, “The accessibility of legal information is among the most immediate and tangible ways in which members of the public engage with and understand the legal system. Hong Kong stands as the only region in China that practises the common law and adopts a bilingual legal framework. Anchored in the city’s rich legal and cultural landscape, CUHK LAW recognises the importance of harnessing technology to enhance access to legal knowledge. We value our collaboration with SenseTime, focused on improving Cantonese-language access to legal information services — a partnership that brings together the Faculty’s legal expertise and SenseTime’s language-focused AI capabilities, with the aim of better serving the needs of our community. We are also deeply grateful to SenseTime for its meaningful support in nurturing the next generation of legal professionals.”

Dr. Lin Dahua, Co-Founder, Chief Scientist for AI Infrastructure and Large Model of SenseTime, said, “This collaboration on the AI model allows both parties to fully harness our respective strengths and to help the general public break down the barriers to legal information. As part of this effort, talent development is a cornerstone of our long-term strategy to drive sustainable innovation and create greater social value. Through this partnership, we hope to provide opportunities and real-world experience for students from CUHK’s Faculty of Law to gain practical exposure that integrates their legal expertise with AI technology.”

As an AI company with its roots in Hong Kong, SenseTime believes that the true purpose of technology is to serve our communities. Looking ahead, SenseTime will continue to strengthen collaborations with leading academic institutions and industry partners to drive innovation, fulfil its social responsibility, and champion the use of AI for good, contributing to Hong Kong’s innovation and technology ecosystem.

As early as 2020, CUHK ‘s Faculty of Law introduced elective courses related to law and technology across its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. In recent years, the faculty has launched several new courses focused on digital technology and AI, while its Centre for Legal Innovation and Digital Society has facilitated knowledge transfer in legal technology research.