“Robots in the Community” Pilot Programme
Background
The Digital Policy Office (DPO) is committed to advancing digital government services and bridging the digital divide. The “Robots in the Community” Pilot Programme loans out humanoid robot “Smart Bot” to community organisations free of charge to participate in community events. By providing citizens with direct and first-hand exposure to the robot in the community events, this initiative aims to raise people’s awareness of embodied Artificial Intelligence (AI) and promote digital inclusion.
Summary of Notes for Application (Please refer to the online form for the detailed notes and conditions)
- The Applicant must be an organisation established for serving the general public or residents of a region in Hong Kong, such as a company, society, office of member of the Legislative/ District Council, district organisation, welfare agency, etc.
- The Event involved in the application must be made available to the general public free of charge.
- Each organisation may only successfully apply for one robot to appear at a single event.
- The first round of applications will focus on processing activities scheduled to be held between 15 December 2026 and 28 February 2027 (both dates inclusive). DPO will announce the details of the next round of applications in January 2027.
- Due to the possibility that eligible applications may exceed the available quota, the DPO does not guarantee that every eligible application will be allocated a robot. The DPO has absolute discretion over the allocation of robots. Priority will be given to activities organized or supported by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau or the DPO (e.g., activities under the “Smart Silver” Digital Inclusion Programme).
Application Method
Interested organisations may complete the application process by filling in the online application form. Deadline is 12:00 noon on 20 November 2026. No application fee is required.
