HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) as a historic opportunity to become a high-income, developed nation, according to Minister of Science and Technology Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, who called for a nationwide effort to “AI-ize” the country.

He highlighted Việt Nam’s AI Declaration, which stresses that AI should be 'Human-Centred, Safe, Autonomous, Cooperative, Inclusive and Sustainable'.

Speaking at the National Scientific Conference on Artificial Intelligence on 15 September, titled 'The Unlimited Power and Unpredictable Challenges of Artificial Intelligence – Impacts and Policy Responses', Minister Hùng addressed nearly 400 leaders, policymakers, scholars and business representatives.

The event was jointly organised by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the Ministries of Public Security and National Defence, the Central Theoretical Council and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

In his keynote, General Lương Tam Quang, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security, emphasised AI as a cornerstone of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with the potential to reshape the global order. He highlighted that AI is a strategic priority worldwide and referenced the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, which identifies AI and other strategic technologies as key to overcoming the middle-income trap, accelerating socio-economic development, and achieving the goal of a developed, high-income nation by 2045.

Professor Nguyễn Xuân Thắng, Politburo member, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, and Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, underscored the conference’s role in enabling leaders, experts, and enterprises to evaluate AI’s impacts, opportunities, and risks.

He stressed the importance of developing a human-centred, safe, and effective AI ecosystem, creating Vietnamese-language AI models, and defining Việt Nam’s position in the global AI arena.

During the first thematic session, Trương Gia Bình, Chairman of FPT Corporation, described AI as a "10x leap” in productivity and national potential. He called for a fundamental overhaul of education, highlighting the need for children to study and work with AI from the first grade in order to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market shaped by technology.

The conference concluded with recommendations for Việt Nam to pursue independent technological development, foster innovation, strengthen global competitiveness and build a sustainable, human-centred AI ecosystem.

Projections indicate that widespread adoption of AI could contribute up to US$80 billion, or 12 per cent of Việt Nam’s GDP, by 2030. Already, 75 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises apply AI in sales, with leading corporations investing heavily to secure long-term growth and competitiveness. — VNS