The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Day 2021, themed Empowering Innovations, will be held virtually on 27 and 28 August with a goal to promote AI research, development, and applications, helping to solve challenging problems in socio-economic development.
According to a news report, the event, organised by VinAI Research – the tech arm of Vingroup, also aims to help Vietnamese businesses apply new technologies to optimise their competitive advantages. It is expected to bring together the world’s top-tier experts in AI and leading researchers in Vietnam to share ideas and perspectives.
The AI Day 2021 will feature three themes: “AI in Research and Development”, “AI for Innovations & Global AI Products” and “AI for Education”. An official noted that over the years, AI has become an effective tool that helps solve difficulties as well as create many opportunities for Vietnamese businesses. Despite possessing great potential, the development of AI within the country still faces many challenges. As a leader in AI research and application in Vietnam, VinAI aims to bring Vietnamese AI research and products to the world. Through AI Day 2021, the country wants to build a sustainable bridge between the world AI community and Vietnam, at the same time, help research teams and businesses solve challenges as well as improve technical competency, gradually reaching out to the world. This is the third time AI Day has been held in Vietnam. It is expected to attract about 2,000 participants.
Earlier this month, the government issued a national strategy on the research, development, and application of AI till 2030. It aims to gradually turn Vietnam into an innovation and AI hub in ASEAN and the world. The Minister of Science and Technology, Bui The Duy, noted that the strategy intends for Vietnam to be among four leading countries in ASEAN and 50 nations globally in terms of AI research, development, and application over the next few years. Also, it targets to build ten prestigious AI trademarks in the region and develop three national big data and high-performance computing centres.
As OpenGov Asia reported, by 2030, Vietnam will set up 50 interconnected open databases in economic sectors in service of the effort. To achieve this, the country is fine-tuning legal documents, creating a legal framework regarding AI, and promoting international cooperation in the field. Further attention should be paid to human resources training and building a database that is synchronous with computing infrastructure. Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out nearly two years ago, the application of AI in health care in Vietnam has become a bright spot in the world. AI has helped ease burdens on medical workers and anti-pandemic forces through tracing apps and epidemiological maps.
Further, the Hanoi University of Science and Technology officially debuted an international centre on AI under the model of a mixed international research centre. It is expected to conduct basic studies and create Make-in-Vietnam core technologies. Professor Ho Tu Bao, Director of the Centre, said that the digital environment is creating invaluable opportunities to develop and master technologies like AI. Minister Duy added that construction on the National Innovation Centre began at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park to support the start-up ecological system in Vietnam, contributing to renewing the growth model based on advanced technologies.
