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| Operating automated robots in production to enhance labour productivity and manufacturing efficiency __Photo: VNA |
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) has recently submitted to the standing body of Steering Committee 57 a scheme on establishment and development of a global network of Vietnamese artificial intelligence (AI) experts.
According to the MOST, the network will serve as a tool for mobilising and connecting Vietnamese AI experts at home and abroad, enabling them to directly take part in science, technology and innovation tasks associated with national problems.
The network will be deployed along the line of integrating research with training and application activities. To this end, it will be organised in an open and flexible manner, allowing experts to take part in various forms associated with specific tasks and projects.
Action programmes are expected to focus on leading and developing AI talents under the direct mentorship mechanism, and through intensive training and incubation of young researchers; promoting research linked to the needs of businesses and the public sector, providing support for the creation of products and the commercialisation of research outcomes; and developing strategic technology projects with the national competitive significance.
Under the scheme, a global Vietnam AI forum will be organised annually to announce research outcomes, introduce technological products, connect investors, and attract international resources. Besides, a digital platform will be built to manage the expert database, coordinate tasks, and monitor outcomes.
Organisationally, the MOST will hold the leading role, provide orientations and formulate mechanisms and policies. The National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) will act as the standing body, directly implementing and coordinating activities and connecting resources.
According to the MOST, AI in Vietnam has seen positive development in the recent years. Technology enterprises, research institutes, universities, and the startup community have participated more deeply in the field. Some AI products and solutions have been provided in such sectors as finance, e-commerce, healthcare, education, and urban management. Many domestic research groups and engineering teams capable of absorbing new technologies have been formed.
However, overall AI development capacity remains limited. Human resources, particularly high-level experts, remain scattered. The connection between domestic organisations and the international community, particularly Vietnamese experts abroad, remains ineffective. Links between research institutes, training institutions, and enterprises are also not close-knit. Many research outcomes remain impractical, leading to limited transfer and commercialisation capabilities. The country has also not yet formed strong research groups capable of leading at a regional or international level.
Meanwhile, AI human resource training is not closely linked to research and practical application. AI-related programmes and tasks are currently mainly implemented by individual sectors and units, lacking a coordination mechanism on a national scale.
The MOST admits that the country lacks an effective mechanism for systematic connection and exploitation of intellectual resources. International experience shows that many countries have successfully implemented network models in AI development, such as the Alan Turing Institute in the UK, the ELISE network in the European Union, or the National Research Foundation in Singapore.
Judging from this reality, the establishment of a global network of Vietnamese AI experts is an “urgent need” to create an effective mechanism for mobilising, connecting and promoting domestic and foreign intellectual resources. Through the scheme, the MOST plans to form an ecosystem connecting AI knowledge on a national scale, improving the quality of technology research and development, thereby promoting the development of products with practical value and gradually improving Vietnam’s technological competitiveness in the field of AI.- (VLLF)
