Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung said recently that Vietnam encourages the development of open-source AI, viewing it as an opportunity for smaller nations to master and apply advanced technologies.

Hung spoke at the Vietnam International Digital Week 2025 (VIDW 2025) on October 27-29 in Ninh Binh and Hanoi, organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) in coordination with the Ninh Binh People’s Committee.

This year’s event focused on strategies, policies and legal frameworks to ensure the safe, transparent, and responsible development and governance of AI.

Digital Week is an annual international event gathering about 800 domestic and international delegates, including ministerial leaders and heads from ASEAN countries, strategic partners like the US, Korea and Australia, and leaders from international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank (WB).

Vietnam promotes open-source AI ecosystem

Speaking at the event, Minister of Science and Technology Hung emphasized that AI must proceed in a “narrow corridor”, between chaos and control, between freedom and fear.

“Our task is not to slow innovation but to guide it with wisdom and responsibility.

A strong state must protect humanistic values, while an open society must encourage creativity and dialogue. Only by proceeding in that narrow corridor can AI truly serve humans.”

Hung said navigating the “narrow corridor” is the art of balance: between global and local, cooperation and sovereignty, big tech corporations and startups, technology and application, use and mastery, creation and control, global and national infrastructure, open and protected data, and general and specialized AI.

Johnathan Banker, UNESCO representative, observed that Vietnam has impressively developed AI and ranks 26th globally.

He added that Vietnam has strong digital infrastructure, high Internet and smartphone penetration, and significant potential in the AI sector.

However, he emphasized the need for Vietnam to strengthen data security and invest further in data centers and AI infrastructure.

Pham Quang Ngoc, chair of the Ninh Binh People’s Committee, said the province aims to become a centrally governed city by 2030, a city with a modern industrial base, high-quality tourism services, and green urban development connected with heritage, ranking among the leading localities nationwide in growth rate and average income.

Ninh Binh, he said, is ready to adopt and apply advanced technologies, including AI, to address local development challenges.

He went on to say that Ninh Binh views the Vietnam International Digital Week 2025 as a valuable opportunity to learn, share experiences, and expand cooperation with experts, organizations, and leading tech corporations from Vietnam and abroad, while attracting investment resources for high-tech and digital transformation projects.

AI governance initiatives, policies 

The ministerial roundtable on AI governance, held on October 27, was a highlight of the event. The conference aimed to create a high-level forum for stakeholders to share initiatives and policies on responsible AI governance. It also reaffirmed Vietnam’s proactive role and commitment to international cooperation in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

The event featured outdoor technology showcases presenting innovative products and solutions in digital transformation and AI developed by Vietnamese tech companies.

This offered participants and businesses the chance to experience cutting-edge technologies and opened new cooperation and investment opportunities for Vietnamese and international firms.

Throughout the week, several conferences and forums were held, with focus on six main topics: 5G, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, digital human resources, and digital enterprises.

Notable sessions included the Vietnam-EU Digital Cooperation Forum, the Vietnam Digital Cooperation Organization Partnership Forum, the Sustainable Telecommunications Infrastructure Workshop, the ASEAN 5G Conference, and the Regional Workshop on AI-driven Digital Transformation. In parallel, there were business networking activities to foster collaboration and investment opportunities.

During VIDW 2025, bilateral meetings and cultural and diplomatic events also took place, contributing to promoting the image of Vietnam and Ninh Binh to international partners.

The World AI Index Survey 2025 showed that Vietnam ranks sixth out of 40 countries in AI readiness and application. The national AI strategy aims to form five regional-scale AI brands by 2030.

To realize this, Vietnam is advancing domestic legal frameworks and expanding international cooperation. Recently, many strategic directives have been issued.

In global cooperation, Vietnam prioritizes partnering with leading tech giants to promote AI infrastructure and applications.

NVIDIA partnered with GreenNode, a VNG Group member, to launch AI Cloud infrastructure in Bangkok in June 2024, one of Southeast Asia’s first large-scale AI Clouds.

This is seen as a key preparation step for the region, including Vietnam, to be ready for the AI application “explosion” phase.

Du Lam