Lê Hương

AI remains a key driver of change across sectors, redefining how people live and work. With the Vietnamese AI market forecast to grow at nearly 16 per cent per year, there is an urgent and growing need to develop local AI talent.

According to Đinh Anh Tuấn, an AI expert based in Silicon Valley, US, AI is far more than just a technological advancement.

“It has the potential to transform humanity itself completely,” he told Việt Nam News. “It will fundamentally change how we live and even how we think. At the same time, it creates opportunities and inspiration for those just beginning to dream, helping to ignite their ambitions.”

Tuấn is actively seeking collaborations with Vietnamese IT teams in the healthcare sector.

“I’m working with a group of young people, and whenever something new emerges in the US, I bring it back to Việt Nam and show it to them,” he said. “It takes them only one or two weeks to replicate it. This shows that while others may be ahead in innovation for now, we are fully capable of catching up, and eventually even thinking ahead and innovating faster.”

Universities at the forefront

Across Việt Nam, many universities now offer AI-focused programmes. Hà Nội University of Science and Technology (HUST) is among the pioneers.

Lecturer Huỳnh Thị Thanh Bình and her students during a classroom discussion on AI. — VNS Photo Lê Hương

Its School of Information and Communication Technology launched a Data and AI Science programme in 2019.

“This programme isn’t limited to a single discipline,” said deputy head of the school Cao Tuấn Dũng. “It doesn’t just focus on science, engineering or technology – it’s interdisciplinary. Students are trained in mathematics, statistics and computer science, and also gain specialised knowledge in areas like economics, soft skills and professional ethics.”

The curriculum emphasises real-world application alongside theoretical learning.

“Our work doesn’t stop at research,” said Huỳnh Thị Thanh Bình, deputy headmistress of the school. “Recently, we’ve partnered with networking experts to tackle real-world problems, including network design, traffic scheduling and solving data-related challenges.”

Students also gain hands-on experience through internships at over 400 leading tech enterprises. The programme is updated annually based on student feedback and evolving industry demands.

“This field requires a vast amount of knowledge,” said BA student Nguyễn Tiến Đăng. “You need a deep understanding to apply AI effectively and excel in your work.”

Experts Đinh Anh Tuấn (far corner) and Đào Mạnh Hiếu (front) listen to a representative from a start-up company. — VNS Photo Lê Hương

Hồ Viết Đức Lương, a master’s student at HUST, is confident in his career choice.

“AI itself won’t replace you. The person who knows how to use AI will,” he said.

He explained: “Ten years ago, owning a computer was essential for work. Ten years from now, AI will be essential. Equipping ourselves with AI knowledge and skills is indispensable for the future.”

Businesses catching up

Vietnamese businesses are also ramping up their efforts to retrain staff in AI-related skills.

Đào Mạnh Hiếu from Viet Cas Company, a computing architecture firm, is training thousands of Viettel employees in AI.

“Most participants already have basic AI knowledge and use it in daily life,” he said. “Initially, they expect the course to improve productivity by 30 per cent. But in reality, after completing it, their performance improves five to tenfold, and their creativity often doubles.”

Đào Mạnh Hiếu teaches staff at Viettel. — Photo courtesy of Hiếu

Hiếu noted that Việt Nam’s AI workforce is still in its early stage. The clearest sign of this is the widespread focus, especially among State-owned enterprises, on training all employees to apply AI in their work.

“Vietnamese businesses are heading in the right direction,” he said. “First, they are investing in helping employees understand AI and use it to boost productivity. The next step is to invest more heavily in AI technologies.”

Experts like Tuấn, Hiếu and university lecturers believe that if businesses across the country fully adopt AI to enhance productivity, Việt Nam could gain a significant competitive edge, both regionally and globally. — VNS