1. Introduction

With the rapid changes in global technology, Hong Kong's education sector is ushering in a wave of innovation driven by STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. In recent years, Hong Kong has not only vigorously promoted STEM education in school curriculum, but the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has also brought new possibilities to the field of education. This article will explore in depth how STEM education in Hong Kong can complement the current development of AI, thereby promoting the construction of future smart cities and digital economies.

2. The current status of STEM education in Hong Kong

Since the Policy Address began to clearly identify STEM as an important direction for promoting education reform, Hong Kong has made significant progress in funding, school-based curriculum design and teacher training. Many primary and secondary schools have gradually established STEM courses featuring practice, innovation and interdisciplinary integration, aiming to cultivate students' problem-solving, creative and collaborative abilities. This trend not only improves students' basic skills in science and technology, but also cultivates talents with cross-border competitiveness in the future job market.

3. Current status and trends of AI development

Artificial intelligence technology is moving from laboratories to commercialization and daily life, and its application areas cover finance, medical care, transportation, smart cities and other fields. As an international metropolis, Hong Kong is actively developing smart applications and digital infrastructure under the joint efforts of the government and the industry. For example, the cooperation program jointly launched by Microsoft Hong Kong and the Education Bureau not only promotes STEAM and AI education in primary and secondary schools, but also provides teachers and students with advanced technical tools and training resources. In addition, the collaboration between academia and businesses to create AI courses has also achieved initial results in improving students' knowledge of AI knowledge and practical ability.

4. The interactive relationship between STEM education and AI development

There is a natural complementary relationship between STEM education and the development of artificial intelligence, which is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

• Interdisciplinary integration: AI technology itself involves multiple fields such as mathematics, statistics, computer science and engineering, and is highly consistent with the core disciplines of STEM education. Through interdisciplinary learning, students can not only master basic theories, but also experience the application of AI technology in practical operations.
• Cultivation of innovative ability: STEM education emphasizes practice and special studies, and the process of AI application often requires students to use creative thinking to solve problems, thereby stimulating their innovative potential.
• Technology application and practice: As AI tools become increasingly popular, educational institutions have begun to incorporate AI elements into existing courses, such as using AI-assisted learning platforms, intelligent grading systems, and virtual reality laboratories. These measures have improved learning outcomes and interactivity.
• Teacher and curriculum development: To support the popularization of AI technology, teacher training and curriculum design are also being innovated simultaneously, prompting the entire education system to form an AI learning ecosystem from basic to advanced, further promoting the deepening and expansion of STEM education.

5. Case Study: Educational Application and Policy Promotion

In Hong Kong, many schools and educational institutions have begun exploring specific ways to integrate AI into STEM courses. For example, some primary and secondary schools have opened introductory AI courses, using simple programming platforms to allow students to try to design chatbots or use visual recognition technology to conduct project practices. In addition, the government also encourages schools to establish innovative laboratories and promote cross-sector cooperation and school-enterprise alliances through funding programs and policy support, thereby providing students with opportunities to actually operate and apply AI.

The case of Microsoft Hong Kong's collaboration with the Education Bureau shows that through blended learning and advanced technical support, teachers can use AI technology more effectively to design classroom activities, thereby improving teaching quality and student engagement.

6. Challenges and Future Prospects

Although Hong Kong has made many achievements in promoting STEM and AI education, it still faces some challenges:

• Insufficient teacher training: Traditional teaching models and professional knowledge structures make it difficult for some teachers to quickly adapt to the teaching needs of interdisciplinary and AI technologies, and they are in urgent need of continuous on-the-job training and resource support.
• Curriculum integration and evaluation system: How to organically integrate AI knowledge into traditional courses and design scientific and reasonable evaluation standards are still important issues that need to be solved at this stage.
• Resource allocation and fairness: While promoting new technology education, how to ensure that schools in each district have access to sufficient resources and support to avoid the widening of the digital divide is also an issue that must be paid attention to in future development.

In the future, with the continuous advancement of government policies, industry resources and educational innovation, Hong Kong is expected to cultivate more cross-border talents with both technical and innovative capabilities, laying a solid foundation for building an international smart city.

7. Conclusion

Overall, Hong Kong's STEM education and artificial intelligence development show an inseparable interactive relationship. STEM education not only provides students with a solid foundation in science and technology, but also lays a talent foundation for the application and innovation of future AI technology; the popularization and development of AI further enriches and optimizes the content and methods of STEM education. As the government and enterprises jointly promote digital education reform, Hong Kong will demonstrate greater strength and vitality in the global innovation and technology competition in the future, and inject continuous impetus into the construction of smart cities.