The domestic market of over 100 million people is considered the “fertile ground” for AI applications. Increased demand for digital transformation in key sectors such as finance, banking, e-commerce, healthcare, education and manufacturing is also driving strong demand for AI solutions. Dynamic transformations of these economic sectors are not only a factor in AI development, but also a source of large data. This is an important “input material” for AI.
However, in addition to these possibilities, the development of AI in Vietnam still faces many challenges. One is infrastructure issues. Currently, infrastructure remains limited, forcing researchers and businesses to rely on foreign cloud computing services. This is expensive and poses a data security risk. Another challenge is data availability.
In Vietnam there is still a shortage of high quality, standardized, publicly available data sources. Fragmented and inconsistent data between sectors and organizations presents a major barrier to the development of highly accurate AI models. Furthermore, the country faces a serious shortage of highly skilled AI professionals who can lead large projects. The gap between education and practice remains a pressing issue, as academic programs tend to be more theoretical, lack real-world projects and tend to be close collaborations with companies.
In light of the above possibilities and challenges, the government has demonstrated its determination to establish a legal framework and an ecosystem that supports AI development.
In 2021, the Prime Minister approved a national strategy for AI research, development and applications by 2030. In the region, Vietnam aims to become one of the top four major countries in ASEAN and one of the world's top 50 in AI research and applications. It serves as an important “Lodestar” and provides a strategic vision and clear direction for the entire science and technology sector.
This stage requires focusing on several key pillars, including the construction of the country's AI data infrastructure and computing systems, completion of legal frameworks and specialized policies, and creating a favorable environment for AI research, development and applications. It also emphasizes the importance of building and developing a high-quality workforce, promoting AI applications in various socioeconomic sectors, and establishing national AI research and development centres.
Dang Thanh Binh, director of TCI Industries JSC, specializing in machine detailing and machine manufacturing, specializes in machine manufacturing with nearly 20 years of experience and, in terms of business being actively undergoing digital transformation, TCI recognizes that while Vietnam has a large workforce, there is a huge gap between training programs and practical needs. TCI will retrain a considerable amount of time and resources after graduation.
So, if governments encourage universities to work more closely with businesses and develop training programs tailored to real-world demands, it becomes a huge step forward. Binh also suggested that companies should not only recruit talent, but also play an active role in partnering with research institutes to develop new products and solutions, especially AI applications to optimize processes.
Daiwa Vietnam Co., Ltd. from the perspective of foreign-invested companies. Hamada Shogo, general director of the company, said Vietnam has strong export capabilities. However, in addition to focusing on exports, we also need to pay attention to research and development of new domestic products. This means increasing the R&D capabilities of Vietnamese companies for the local market. This will be one solid step forward, he noted.
Vietnam has all the key factors to become the AI hub of this region and the world. The young population, strong aspirations for progress, a dynamic market, and especially the strategic vision from governments, serve as the “golden key” to unleashing a promising future. Along this journey, the government continues to complete its legal framework and develop special incentive policies, including those related to support policies regarding capital, taxation, land, and particularly high-performance computing infrastructure development.
The establishment of a national AI research and development centre where companies can lease facilities and access large data resources is also an idea worth implementing. According to Experts./.VNA, this is the association's bridge between the company and the grassroots level voice to relevant authorities.
