Manulife Hong Kong has partnered with technology education firm Preface to launch an AI-focused competition for students across Hong Kong, Macau and other Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities, positioning the initiative as part of broader efforts to build digital capability in the region.
The “AI Creativity Competition: Prompt Your Future Career” targets primary and secondary students aged six to 18. Participants are asked to use AI tools to explore and present future career concepts. According to research cited in the announcement, “65% of today’s primary school students will work in jobs that do not yet exist,” with projections that “around 170 million new roles will be created globally” by 2030.
Manulife said the competition aims to expose students to practical applications of AI rather than theoretical learning. Entries will be judged on creativity, use of AI and presentation skills by representatives from Manulife, Preface and external business and technology leaders. The company will also deploy its proprietary “AI Judge”, which will provide automated feedback alongside the judging panel. A prize pool of more than HK$15,000 will be awarded across three categories.
“This competition not only enables primary and secondary students to explore the latest applications of AI technology, but also inspires them to connect with future opportunities,” said Celia Ling, Chief Marketing Officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau.
Tommie Lo, Founder and CEO of Preface, said: “We’ve always believed that technology should empower young people to imagine the future and drive change, rather than be a distant or exclusive domain.”
The first 100 registrants will be offered complimentary workshops covering generative AI tools for text and image creation. Sessions will be delivered by Preface and supported by Manulife’s AI team.
The initiative follows Manulife’s “Future Ready Experience” programme introduced in September and reflects the insurer’s continued emphasis on education and talent development as part of its community engagement strategy.
