Vietnam advised to pursue specialized AI and niche tech value‑chain roles

Experts say Vietnam should forgo costly attempts to match global AI giants and instead develop specialized artificial‑intelligence systems built on high‑quality local data. Dr. James Kang of RMIT Vietnam argues that creating general‑purpose, trillion‑parameter models would require billions of dollars, massive energy consumption and advanced hardware that the country presently lacks. Focusing on domain‑specific AI for agriculture, health, legal and administrative applications would give Vietnam true technological sovereignty while saving resources.

Separately, Dr. Hồ Quốc Tuấn of the University of Bristol recommends that Vietnam concentrate on segments of the global technology value chain where it already has competitive advantages. He highlights software outsourcing, IT services, drone manufacturing, chip design (fabless) and semiconductor assembly/testing, as well as emerging markets such as telehealth for an ageing population and domestic digital platforms for e‑commerce, fintech and online education. The scholars suggest the government play a facilitative role—providing logistics and connectivity infrastructure—rather than directly funding large‑scale, capital‑intensive projects.