Terms & Conditions

1. Definitions

• "Ink Stone", "we", "us", "our" refers to the business operating as Ink Stone, registered in Hong Kong, with its principal place of business at 8 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong.
• "Client", "you", "your" refers to the institution or individual that engages Ink Stone's services or accesses this website.
• "Services" refers to the AI integration services described on this website, including Research Archive Summarization, Manuscript Review Support, and the Cultural Institution AI Programme.
• "Engagement Agreement" refers to the written agreement governing a specific service engagement.
• "Site" refers to this website and all its pages.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing this Site or engaging our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree, please do not use this Site or engage our Services. These terms apply to all website visitors and to all clients entering into an Engagement Agreement with Ink Stone. Individuals must be at least 18 years of age to enter into an Engagement Agreement.

3. Service Description

Ink Stone provides AI integration services to knowledge institutions in Hong Kong and the wider region, including research and policy organisations, book and academic publishers, and cultural organisations. The precise scope of each service is as described on this website and as set out in the applicable Engagement Agreement. Services are provided in English. Ink Stone reserves the right to decline an engagement at its sole discretion.

4. User Responsibilities

When using this Site or engaging our Services, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete information in any form submission or communication
• Not use this Site for any unlawful purpose or in any way that could damage, disable, or impair the Site
• Not attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Site or any system connected to it
• Not reproduce, republish, or distribute any content from this Site without our prior written consent
• Ensure that authorised representatives of your institution have the authority to engage our Services on your behalf

5. Intellectual Property

All content on this Site — including text, design, structure, and visual elements — is the intellectual property of Ink Stone and is protected by applicable Hong Kong law. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive licence to access and view this Site for the purpose of evaluating or using our Services. Nothing in these terms transfers ownership of any intellectual property to you.

Criteria documents produced as part of an engagement are provided to the client institution for their own internal use. Ink Stone retains the right to develop its general methodology further, provided it does not use client-specific data to do so.

6. Payment Terms

Fees for Services are as listed on this website or as agreed in an Engagement Agreement, denominated in Hong Kong dollars. Payment is due monthly in advance. Ink Stone will issue invoices compatible with institutional procurement requirements on request. Failure to pay within 30 days of invoice date may result in suspension of the Service. All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes, where relevant.

6.1 Cancellation and Refunds

Engagements are structured as three-month or six-month agreements. Early termination by the client does not entitle the client to a refund of prepaid monthly fees. Where Ink Stone terminates an engagement due to our own inability to deliver, we will refund any prepaid fees attributable to the undelivered period.

7. Confidentiality

Both parties agree to treat as confidential any information disclosed by the other party during the course of an engagement that is identified as confidential or that would reasonably be understood to be confidential. This obligation survives termination of the engagement for a period of three years. Ink Stone will not disclose details of any client engagement to third parties without prior written consent, except where required by law.

8. Data Handling

Institutional data — including archival materials, manuscripts, and collection records — provided to Ink Stone for processing is handled in accordance with the data handling terms in the relevant Engagement Agreement and with our Privacy Policy. Such data is not used for AI model training or shared with third parties outside the service delivery scope. On conclusion or termination of an engagement, institutional data is returned or deleted as specified in the Engagement Agreement.

9. Disclaimers

This Site and the content on it are provided for informational purposes and on an "as is" basis. While we take care to keep information current and accurate, we make no warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of any content on this Site. Our Services involve the use of AI, which produces outputs for human review. We do not represent that AI outputs are free from error. All AI-produced material is subject to human review as part of our service design.

The Services are not a substitute for professional legal, financial, academic, or archival advice. Client institutions retain full authority over all decisions made in connection with our Services.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by Hong Kong law, Ink Stone's liability to you in connection with these terms or any engagement shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to Ink Stone in the three months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. We shall not be liable for indirect, consequential, or special damages, or for loss of profit, opportunity, or data arising from our Services or from use of this Site, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ink Stone, its directors, employees, and contractors from any claim, loss, liability, or expense (including reasonable legal costs) arising from your misuse of this Site, breach of these Terms, or any use of our Services outside the scope agreed in an Engagement Agreement.

12. Termination

Either party may terminate an Engagement Agreement by providing written notice in accordance with the terms of that agreement. Ink Stone may suspend or terminate access to this Site at any time without prior notice. Upon termination, provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive — including confidentiality, data handling, intellectual property, and limitation of liability — will continue to apply.

13. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms and any Engagement Agreement are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall first be addressed through good-faith negotiation between the parties. If the dispute is not resolved within thirty days, either party may refer the matter to the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre for resolution by arbitration in accordance with its administered rules, unless the parties agree in writing to another form of resolution.

14. General Provisions

• Entire agreement: These Terms, together with any applicable Engagement Agreement, constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force.
• Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of the right to enforce it in future.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms or an Engagement Agreement without our prior written consent.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify active clients of material changes by email. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of this Site after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Contact

For legal enquiries relating to these Terms:

Email: [email protected]

Address: Ink Stone, 8 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong

Office hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm HKT