Tech giant Qualcomm launches AI R&D center in Vietnam, its third outside US

Qualcomm on Tuesday launched an AI research & development (R&D) center in Vietnam, after acquiring a 65% stake in AI company MovianAI from Vingroup, a leading Vietnamese conglomerate, earlier this year.

The new AI R&D center in Hanoi is the third of such centers of Qualcomm outside the U.S., after the ones in India and Ireland.

Later the same day, Vietnam's Party General Secretary To Lam received Alex Rogers, president of global affairs at Qualcomm, in Hanoi.

During the meeting, the Party chief congratulated Qualcomm on the group's successful investment projects in Vietnam.

Lam said he appreciates Qualcomm's increased investment in the projects the company is deploying and its expansion into high-tech sectors such as AI, semiconductors, and digital infrastructure - the areas where the company excels and Vietnam has growing demand.

These efforts, Lam noted, would support Vietnam’s goal of becoming a global and regional hub for AI and semiconductor technology.

The Party chief also urged Qualcomm to deepen collaboration with Vietnamese enterprises, enhance technology transfer, and share expertise to help develop the country's science and technology workforce. He emphasized the importance of supporting Vietnamese companies in joining global value chains.

Lam called on Rogers and other U.S. businesses operating in Vietnam to continue supporting ongoing bilateral trade negotiations with the United States, aiming for early progress that would strengthen sustainable and stable economic cooperation.

In response, Rogers stated that the primary purpose of his visit was to inaugurate Qualcomm’s new AI R&D center in Hanoi - one of only three such centers outside the U.S.

This facility will be part of Qualcomm’s global AI research network and play a key role in developing generative and agentic AI solutions across various fields, including smartphones, personal computers, extended reality (XR), automotive technology, and internet of things (IoT) applications.

He noted that Vietnam’s AI talent ranks among the top 20 globally, with a strong pool of experts trained both domestically and abroad. This talent base, he said, positions Vietnam well to become a regional leader in AI and semiconductor development.

With over 20 years of operations in Vietnam and strong partnerships in these key sectors, Qualcomm is committed to further collaborating with local enterprises to build a robust semiconductor and AI ecosystem in the country, Rogers added.

He affirmed Qualcomm’s long-term commitment to investing in Vietnam, including nurturing local talent to contribute to global AI innovation.

Rogers also expressed appreciation for the recent positive developments in Vietnam-U.S. trade relations and voiced hope that bilateral negotiations will soon produce favorable outcomes, helping businesses in both countries thrive within a sustainable trade framework.

In Vietnam, Qualcomm has representative offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The company established its first R&D center in Southeast Asia in 2020, located in Hanoi.

On April 1, Vingroup, a leading Vietnamese conglomerate, announced that it had sold its 65% stake in AI company MovianAI to Qualcomm, but the transfer price was not disclosed. On the same day, Qualcomm announced the acquisition on its website.

Qualcomm is a technology corporation headquartered in San Diego, California. The corporation, with a fabless manufacturing model, has strengths in 5G technology and is expanding its business into semiconductors and software and services for industries such as AI, automobiles, computers and IoT.

Qualcomm earned a revenue of $38.96 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending September 29), including 12% from Vietnam, the second-highest portion among all nations.

According to Qualcomm’s annual report for fiscal year 2024, China (including Hong Kong) was the biggest market with 66% of Qualcomm revenue. Vietnam came second with 12%, equivalent to $4.7 billion. Other major markets were the United States with 3% and South Korea with 7%.