Under the Smart Customs Blueprint, Hong Kong Customs has developed the Smart Customs Interactive Response System and introduced today (December 29) the Virtual Customs Ambassador, XiaoHui.
Combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, natural language processing, machine learning, etc, XiaoHui will handle general enquiries in relation to Customs work in real time from members of the public and travellers, and provide them with information on control points. In the first phase, XiaoHui will be in service at Hong Kong International Airport, the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port and the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. In the meantime, XiaoHui is also providing services on the Customs Homepage.
"Travellers can choose to make enquiries verbally to XiaoHui in Cantonese, Putonghua or English. The system will then analyse the gist of the questions using AI technology, natural language processing, etc, and provide an instant and appropriate response. In addition, the system will also make use of machine learning to enhance the comprehension capability for enquiries with a view to raising the overall performance," said the Assistant Staff Officer of the Information Systems Development Division of the Office of Information Technology of Customs, Mr Ng Wai-ming.
"Hong Kong Customs is working on extending the service to other control points by the end of 2024, as well as various social media platforms of Customs, such as WeChat, to help travellers from the Mainland and around the world," he added.
With a view to enhancing the law enforcement capability and service standard, Hong Kong Customs will continue to optimise the use of technology with the latest and most appropriate techniques to cope with the development of the department.
Ends/Friday, December 29, 2023