China Telecom Global (CTG) and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have formalized their industry–academia–research collaboration in artificial intelligence for telecommunications with the signing ceremony for the HKUST–China Telecom Joint Laboratory on AI for Telecommunications, held at the HKUST campus. The event, reported by Media OutReach Newswire, was followed by the laboratory's first Scientific Advisory Committee meeting, marking the initiative's transition from planning to implementation.
The agreement was executed by Chen Kai, Executive Vice President of CTG, and Prof. Guo Yike, Provost of HKUST and Director of the Joint Laboratory. Chen emphasized that China Telecom is accelerating its evolution into a technology-driven enterprise, and that the laboratory will leverage CTG's global network business scenarios and AI-powered intelligent computing cloud to pursue frontier research with HKUST. Prof. Guo described the laboratory as a platform for integrating AI research with real-world industry scenarios, accelerating the translation of research outcomes, and supporting Hong Kong's development as an international innovation and technology hub.
The joint laboratory is a key outcome of a strategic cooperation agreement signed between China Telecom and HKUST in March 2025, under which both parties committed to deepening industry–academia–research collaboration and advancing frontier technology research and commercialization. The laboratory will define research topics around CTG's business scenarios in global networks and its AI-powered intelligent computing cloud, explore joint talent development, and build a closed-loop pathway from business scenarios through research topics to commercialized outcomes.
At its first meeting, the Scientific Advisory Committee approved the laboratory's first batch of research projects and adopted the Laboratory Charter and Rules of Procedure, with in-depth discussions on 2027 research and development directions and the translation of telecommunications business scenarios into research topics. A mechanism combining quarterly written reports with biannual review meetings will ensure that research remains aligned with industry needs and that outcomes are measurable and translatable.
The implications extend beyond the two institutions. By embedding AI research directly within telecom business scenarios, the collaboration aims to shorten the path from laboratory innovation to market-ready solutions, potentially accelerating the deployment of intelligent network management, predictive maintenance, and AI-driven service optimization across CTG's global operations. The laboratory also reinforces Hong Kong's role as a bridge between mainland China's technology ecosystem and international markets, while contributing to the digital economy's high-quality growth in the Greater Bay Area. For CTG, which operates in 53 countries and markets with extensive network infrastructure, the partnership offers a pipeline of applied research talent and technologies to support its technology-driven transformation. For HKUST, it provides real-world data and scenarios to validate research, a critical factor in translating academic work into industrial impact. As the laboratory moves into its implementation phase, its progress will be closely watched as a model for how academia and industry can co-develop AI solutions for telecommunications.
