Expectations from Vietnam’s first open AI research model

According to Mr. Le Hong Minh, this is not only a choice of operating model, but also a way for Vietnam to participate in the global AI race with limited resources. Some Big Tech can spend tens of billions of dollars each year on R&D and attracting AI talent. If Vietnam follows the traditional path, he believes it will be difficult to create a breakthrough.

The idea of ​​an open model was formed after the strategic cooperation signing ceremony between VNG and Ho Chi Minh City National University in May last year. After the signing ceremony, Mr. Minh and his colleagues visited many member schools such as the University of Natural Sciences, Polytechnic University, and University of Information Technology to learn about AI research activities.

What caught his attention was not the modern labs, but the contrast between human capabilities and research conditions. “The teachers and students were very talented and extremely enthusiastic, but resources were limiting them,” he recalled.

From these trips, the idea of ​​building a long-term research environment gradually became clear. According to Mr. Minh, businesses can support infrastructure, technology and operations; Universities have academic foundations and research human resources. What is needed is a space open enough for distributed resources to connect with each other, thereby helping good teams to be challenged and grow.

Based on that idea, Saigon AI Hub, jointly deployed by VNG and Ho Chi Minh City National University, was born in November last year on the business campus. In the first selection round, the program received dozens of applications from many universities and research groups, then selected 10 suitable groups.