Marc Woo, Managing director, Vietnam, Google Asia Pacific speaks at the event. — Photo coutersy of Google

HÀ NỘI — Over 350 local and regional app and game developers gathered in Hà Nội on July 11 to discuss how to boost their business growth with the help of AI.

The event was hosted by Google under the theme 'Think Apps: Build for the Future, with Google AI'.

Building upon the success of annual Think Games and Think Apps events established in 2021, this year there was a specific emphasis on empowering Vietnamese game and apps developers to leverage AI to fuel innovation, business growth and breakthroughs.

The Vietnamese game and app industry maintains its impressive position as the world's number four in the market, for a second consecutive year, according to a report, data.ai 2023. This dominance is underscored by a remarkable 34 per cent increase in app downloads, representing more than 5.6 billion downloads.

Furthermore, Việt Nam maintains its prestigious title of 'World's Fastest-Growing App Developer Market' with app downloads soaring by an impressive 40 per cent annually over the past five years.

This trend continued in 2023, with more than 1.1 billion downloads, translating to a remarkable 10,708 'Made-in-Vietnam' apps downloaded every minute. There are four developers in Việt Nam who broke the 100 million download ceiling in 2023, ABI, Bravestars, Higame and iKame

Vietnamese developers are demonstrating a strategic shift towards quality and monetisation. Since 2023, in-app purchase (IAP) revenue has witnessed a significant 21 per cent increase, reaching US$200 million.

This trend highlights a growing emphasis on crafting high-value app experiences that generate sustainable revenue streams. Furthermore, Việt Nam's software and IT services industry boasts a robust export turnover of $3.5 billion in 2023, with a consistent annual growth rate of 15 per cent.

Despite impressive growth, Việt Nam currently ranks at only in 28th position globally in terms of in-app purchase revenue, indicating plenty more space to grow. Việt Nam's app and game development industry also faces challenges in its integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

These challenges include a scarcity of skilled AI experts and a lack of high-quality training programmes, hindering the development of a strong AI talent pool; limitations in accessing mentorship and guidance from leading AI figures create hurdles in validating and building high market-competitive AI-powered products; lack of available infrastructure specifically designed for rapid experimentation, testing and development within the AI domain.

With a comprehensive suite of solutions from AI tools to hands-on training programs, Google AI will empower Vietnamese developers and fuel their innovation. This comprehensive approach is structured around three key pillars: Build for Quality, Build for Profitability and Build for Sustainability.

The event this year delved into the transformative advantages of artificial intelligence (AI) in revolutionising app development and promotion, as well as showcasing practical examples that illustrate the success of Vietnamese developers within the global app industry.

This year focused on building Google's best AI solutions into programmes that help developers create high-quality apps, attract more users and build thriving businesses.

Emily Nguyễn, Google's Head of Industry, Apps for Vietnam said: “The Vietnamese game and app industry continues its phenomenal growth, strengthening its position as the world's fastest-growing market. This industry is becoming a bigger part of the country's high-value export industries.

"Google is playing a pivotal role in accelerating the growth and innovation of Việt Nam's gaming and app industry. Through our advanced AI technologies and comprehensive support programs from the early days, we are empowering local developers to build high-quality apps, reach global audiences, and achieve sustainable business growth." — VNS