With the increasing global attention on Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI applications are becoming more widespread in Macau. Dr. Angus Cheong, founder of eRS Information Technology Co., Ltd., stated in an interview with Exmoo News that users should select models suited to their specific needs, with AI applications focusing on five key areas: infrastructure, technology, data, applications, and data security issues. Currently, the company is utilizing domestic models for localized fine-tuning, enhancing localized data to make the relevant applications more aligned with local usage.

Experts advocate for the promotion of localized "grounded" AI in Macau.

The AI artificial intelligence wave is surging, garnering global attention and enthusiasm. There are countless AI application products both domestically and internationally. Some opinions suggest that the current use of AI applications by Macao residents mainly focuses on work, learning, information searching, knowledge Q&A, writing, creativity, and more. At present, there are many AI models available on the market, each with distinct characteristics. Users need to choose the appropriate model based on their own needs rather than simply following the trend. "Ultimately, it depends on what your purpose is for using AI."

(Xinhua News Agency file photo)

With the increasing popularity of AI applications, their usage spans a wide range, from government departments and institutions to individual levels. Dr. Angus Cheong, founder of eRS Information Technology Co., Ltd., stated in an interview with this publication that a local association in Macao conducted a random sampling survey to understand residents' views on the development of AI applications. The results indicate that Macao residents, on a personal level, are keeping up with global trends in the adoption of new technologies and innovations. He mentioned that in terms of personal application, AI is "in no way lagging behind any other place in the world," and is commonly used for learning, work, information searches, knowledge inquiries, writing, and creativity.

As for the industrial aspect, the recent emergence of DeepSeek has once again stunned the world. This product has garnered significant global attention, with many remarking that it represents a groundbreaking technological innovation. It is easier to understand and adopt due to its affordability, low cost, and performance that achieves a model level unprecedented worldwide, thereby drawing widespread focus and interest.

Choose a model that suits your own needs.

He mentioned that, domestically, a considerable amount of information can now be seen daily about various enterprises announcing their adoption of DeepSeek. Recently, institutions such as businesses and schools in Macau have also embraced DeepSeek, indicating a gradual adoption of AI applications like DeepSeek in areas such as commerce, public services, and education.

Angus Cheong also pointed out that there are many AI models on the market, each with different characteristics. "Some models excel in generating text or reasoning, some are better at translation and speech transcription, and others are more adept in creativity or specific fields." He believes that users need to choose the appropriate model based on their own needs rather than following trends. "Ultimately, it depends on what your purpose is for applying AI."

Key Focus Areas of AI Applications

Angus Cheong analyzed and pointed out that current AI applications mainly focus on five aspects. In terms of infrastructure, it concerns whether the computational power can support the models; technically, each model has its own unique characteristics; in terms of data, the data relied upon by major models at present are those available in the online world, used to train the models. However, when it comes to questions about Macau's laws, culture, history, etc., the data of large models may not be sufficient or up-to-date. Moreover, during training, there might not have been much focus on Macau as a small region. As a result, the output from these models often fails to meet expectations and "may sound serious but end up talking nonsense."Therefore, from the perspective of a large global or national model, these belong to specific regional or common-sense knowledge, which these models significantly lack. As such, this also involves the issue of local data.

(Founder of eRS Information Technology Limited, Dr. Angus Cheong)

In terms of application, Macao is currently developing in the direction of "1+4". The application scenarios in different industries vary, and using a universal model may not necessarily address related issues. For example, if the name of a certain official in Macao is input, the model might produce multiple results with the same name, and the output might not necessarily pertain to Macao. However, if the application scenario integrates local data, the model can immediately identify that the mentioned official is indeed from Macao. At the same time, it can assist in conducting real-time online verification of official data, making it more "grounded" on the application level.He believes that it is necessary to consider the industry, business, and needs before deciding whether to introduce AI or which AI model to use in order to better address specific issues.

Localized data is more suited for local use.

Regarding data security issues, he pointed out that currently, using domestic AI applications means the relevant data only goes abroad but does not leave the country, which is relatively safer. However, if foreign AI applications are used and involve some sensitive data, then the relevant data has already gone abroad, which is a concern. Therefore, Angus Cheong introduced that the company is currently utilizing domestic models for localized fine-tuning, enhancing localized data to make the relevant applications more suitable for local use. He emphasized that "localized data can enable private deployment and integrate into the business processes of various industries, customized according to the needs of different sectors."