Ambassador Mai Phan Dũng, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations Office in Geneva, addresses the plenary discussion of the 114th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC114) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Hiển

GENEVA — Ambassador Mai Phan Dũng, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the United Nations Office in Geneva, has affirmed Việt Nam’s strong support for a people-centred approach to the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) at the plenary session of the 114th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC114) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on June 8.

The ambassador welcomed the ILO Director-General’s report, titled “A moment of choice: Harnessing AI for decent work”.

According to the diplomat, AI is reshaping labour markets, production models and social governance.

While it offers significant opportunities to boost productivity, drive innovation, improve public services and support human resource development, it also presents unprecedented challenges related to employment, skills, social inequality, personal data protection and workers’ rights.

Dũng noted that throughout nearly four decades of Đổi mới (Renewal), Việt Nam has consistently pursued a people-centred development model, viewing people as the goal, driving force and central actor of development. From a low-income country, Việt Nam has emerged as a middle-income developing economy with steadily improving living standards.

Entering a new development phase, Việt Nam regards science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and international integration as key drivers of rapid and sustainable growth, he said.

Dũng highlighted Politburo Resolution No 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, and Resolution No 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new context, as evidence of the country’s determination to proactively harness emerging global trends, including AI.

The ambassador proposed three priorities to ensure AI supports decent work - investing in human resources and digital skills development; linking digital transformation with decent employment and comprehensive social welfare systems; and building AI governance frameworks based on social dialogue, transparency, accountability and international labour standards.

He also reaffirmed Việt Nam’s commitment to the ILO’s fundamental values, multilateralism and a people-centred future of work, while expressing the country’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with the ILO and member states to maximise AI’s potential for decent jobs, social advancement and common prosperity. — VNA/VNS