About Sam Wong
Why I do this work and how I got here.
Quick Version
I’m Sam Wong, Co-Founder & Director of Academy at Adaptig, an AI train-the-trainer based in Hong Kong. I train the people who train AI — 10,000+ professionals across 70+ organizations in 13 countries.
The focus is not tool hype. It is whether teams still use AI on real work weeks after the session — real behavior change.
I am a Registered Speaker with the Hong Kong Productivity Council and an Official Trainer Partner of the Hong Kong College of Technology.
How It Started
I grew up with ADHD but did not know it until my mid-20s. As a history graduate working as an executive assistant, I spent years feeling like I was constantly fighting my own brain.
That changed when I found AI and automation. What started as tools to manage my own challenges became a mission to help other people discover what is possible when the right support meets the right tools.
What Changed
AI did not just help me work better. It helped me think differently about work itself. I started building systems for clarity, not just efficiency, and saw the same patterns help teams far beyond my own context.
Career Path
I studied Public & Comparative History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, specializing in records management and knowledge systems. My career moved from Executive Assistant to the President of ThreeSixty Group (the company behind Sharper Image and FAO Schwarz) to AI Product Manager at RENPHO, working on AI adoption and team capability.
In 2024, I left that stable role to start AICBO — free, one-on-one AI tutoring sessions for anyone who wanted to learn. What began as a small experiment became 300 sessions and eventually led to co-founding Adaptig.
I learned a simple truth: adoption is rarely a tool problem. It is a people problem. Skills matter, but psychological safety is what gets people to start.
What I Believe
Humans are the point.
AI is a tool. The goal is meaningful work.
Start with the smallest step.
Small wins compound into real change.
Psychological safety comes first.
People do not adopt what they fear.
Frameworks beat features.
Tools change. Thinking patterns endure.
Signature Frameworks
I create named, repeatable thinking patterns that make AI adoption feel concrete instead of abstract. A few examples:
Traffic Light Framework
A data sensitivity framework for regulated industries. Green (public info), Yellow (internal, strip identifiers), Red (PII, full stop). Designed for instant decision-making.
IPA Framework
Input → Process → Audit. A three-step mental model for working with any AI tool safely and effectively.
C-How Thinking
Bridges left-brain logic and right-brain creativity through structured prompting. Used in engineering and design workshops.
AI Pioneer Program
A 6-session cohort model based on change management. Train 10-20 internal champions who drive adoption across the wider organization.
70/30 Split
30% AI execution, 70% human judgment. A principle for delegating work to AI while keeping critical thinking with the human.
AI Maturity Model
Four stages from Awareness to Transformation. Helps organizations diagnose where they are and what to do next.
What I've Built
- Adaptig - Co-founded a global trainer network spanning North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
- AICBO - 300 one-on-one coaching sessions with professionals across industries.
- RENPHO - EA to CEO, then AI Product Manager: AI adoption and team capability building.
- PromptBox - Built internal LLM workflows for daily operations.
- AI Pioneer Program - A change management-driven model for building internal AI champions, now in second batch deployment.
- Fooocus Traditional Chinese - Contributed translation for wider AI accessibility.
What participants say
Voices from the professionals I have trained and coached.
“Finally, AI training that's actually useful!”
“The workshop transformed how our teams think about AI — from abstract concept to practical tool they can use on Monday morning.”
Why This Matters
What motivates me is the shift from “AI is not for me” to “I can use this.” We are in a major transition, and people who learn to think alongside AI while staying human will thrive.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Sam Wong?
I'm Sam Wong, Co-Founder & Director of Academy at Adaptig, a Hong Kong-based AI train-the-trainer. I have personally trained 10,000+ professionals across 70+ organizations, and co-founded Adaptig — a global AI trainer network spanning 4 continents and 8 languages. My focus is practical, human-first AI adoption that changes behavior, not just builds awareness.
What is Sam Wong's background?
I hold a Master of Arts in Public & Comparative History from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, specializing in records management and knowledge systems. My career moved from Executive Assistant to the President of ThreeSixty Group (Sharper Image / FAO Schwarz) to AI Product Manager at RENPHO, working on AI adoption and team capability. In 2024, I started AICBO — free 1-on-1 AI tutoring — which grew into 300 coaching sessions and led to co-founding Adaptig.
What organizations does Sam Wong work with?
I co-founded Adaptig (Adaptig Group Limited), a global AI trainer network spanning North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. My enterprise clients include a major Hong Kong bank, Chow Tai Fook, Hong Kong Jockey Club, HSBC, Arup, PolyU, China Travel Service, and HKCT.
What is Sam Wong's training approach?
My approach is built on four principles: humans are the point (AI is a tool, the goal is meaningful work), start with the smallest step (small wins compound into real change), psychological safety comes first (people don't adopt what they fear), and frameworks beat features (tools change, thinking patterns endure). I emphasize behavior change over tool training.