Keeping Cities Moving: How MTR Corporation Elevates Service with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Power Platform

As one of the world’s busiest rail operators, MTR manages complex operations and high service expectations. Employees faced growing administrative workloads and fragmented information, reducing time available for higher‑value work and customer experience.

MTR adopted Microsoft 365 Copilot to automate drafting, summarisation, and analysis in Microsoft 365 apps, while Power Platform enabled governed, low‑code solutions and role‑based copilots to support daily workflows across the organisation.

With AI embedded into everyday work, MTR reduced manual effort, improved turnaround times, and strengthened operational consistency—freeing employees to focus on critical tasks while delivering clearer, more reliable services to passengers.

Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation, one of the world’s leading railway operators, is accelerating its digital transformation through a strategic partnership with Microsoft. With Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Power Platform, the two technologies help shape how MTR operates efficiently, serves passengers, and empowers its workforce.

By embedding AI into everyday workflows and scaling low-code automation, MTR is not only further enhancing operational efficiency but also setting a new benchmark for customer experience. Building on Microsoft’s AI and Cloud platform, the company has introduced generative AI tools such as AI Tracy, Hong Kong’s first Gen AI virtual service ambassador in transportation, and a suite of role-based internal copilots. These innovations aim to reduce repetitive tasks, enhance consistency, and maintain the reliability that underpins Hong Kong’s mobility infrastructure.

Customer Engagement Through AI

For a network that handles millions of journeys daily, service quality is non-negotiable. AI Tracy represents a bold step forward in customer engagement. Built on Microsoft’s AI platform, Tracy provides real-time guidance on ticketing, station facilities, and local amenities—delivering personalised assistance at scale. Passengers benefit from more consistent information, reducing stress and elevating the overall travel experience.

This initiative reflects MTR’s commitment to innovation that serves people first. By leveraging AI Tracy, the corporation ensures that technology enhances—not replaces—the human touch in customer service. “We are committed to transforming customer experience through innovative technology. With the help of technology, AI Tracy provides instant and reliable support to passengers, making their journeys hassle-free,” says Annie Leung, General Manager of Marketing & Customer Experience at MTR.

“We are committed to transforming customer experience through innovative technology. With the help of technology, AI Tracy provides instant and reliable support to passengers, making their journeys hassle-free.”

Annie Leung, General Manager, Marketing & Customer Experience, MTR Corporation

Operational Efficiency and Workforce Enablement

Beyond passenger-facing applications, MTR is using AI to empower its workforce. The Station Staff Enquiry Chatbot gives frontline teams instant access to approved operating procedures and work instructions. This capability reduces onboarding time for new hires and provides experienced staff with immediate clarity, ensuring compliance and operational consistency.

Power Platform: Driving Low-Code Innovation

Another digital transformation in MTR is its adoption of Microsoft Power Platform. This suite of tools enables the creation of low-code applications that streamline processes across departments. In Human Resources, for example, Power Apps integrated with generative AI capabilities simplify administrative tasks such as drafting job descriptions. What once required hours of manual effort can now be completed in minutes, with AI generating structured, professional content that teams refine before publication.

This human-led, AI-powered approach ensures efficiency without sacrificing quality. It also fosters a culture of innovation, where employees can build solutions tailored to their needs while maintaining governance and security standards.

Microsoft 365 Copilot: Productivity Reimagined

If Power Platform is the engine of low-code transformation, Microsoft 365 Copilot is the catalyst for everyday productivity. Embedded within familiar applications—Word, Excel, Outlook—Copilot enables employees to automate routine tasks and focus on higher-value work. From drafting reports to summarising meetings, Copilot accelerates workflows that previously consumed hours.

Specialised agents such as Researcher and Interpreter take this a step further, handling complex tasks like real-time translation and research-to-brief workflows in minutes. These capabilities not only save time but also improve accuracy and insight, empowering teams to make better decisions faster.

The impact is measurable: thousands of hours saved, improved turnaround times, and enhanced employee satisfaction. "AI has been integrated across our business units and functions, streamlining work processes to enhance performance and efficiency,” says Wan Wai Yin, Chief Information Officer at MTR.

“AI has been integrated across our business units and functions, streamlining work processes to enhance performance and efficiency.”

Wan Wai Yin, Chief Information Officer, MTR Corporation

Governed Innovation at Scale

Modernisation is not just about speed—it’s about sustainability. MTR’s approach to AI adoption is pragmatic and disciplined, ensuring that innovation is governed, secure, and aligned with organisational priorities. Low-code solutions are deployed with oversight, and AI outputs are reviewed by human experts, maintaining trust and accountability.

This balance between agility and governance positions MTR as a model for responsible AI adoption in the transport sector.

Next Stop: Agentic AI

The next frontier? Role-based AI agents that connect systems, automate workflows, and make customer service even smoother. In a city where mobility is critical to economic vitality, this strategy positions MTR at the forefront of innovation. MTR’s approach is pragmatic: measure hours saved, errors reduced. MTR keeps cities moving —powered by its people and accelerated by AI. "Going forward, we will deepen the use of role-based AI agents in business operations and customer service with agentic AI technology," says Wan.