Vietnam urges Nvidia to deepen AI partnership

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has urged Nvidia to expand cooperation with Vietnam in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology, supporting the country’s ambition to become a regional AI hub.

The call was made at a Tuesday dialogue in Ho Chi Minh City with Nvidia executives including Marc Hamilton, vice president of Solutions Architecture and Engineering.

During the talks, Dung called on Nvidia to act as a strategic investor, help Vietnam build sovereign AI systems, provide expertise for nationwide AI applications, and collaborate on drafting the country’s AI law, which is expected to be submitted at a parliament session later this year.

The Deputy Prime Minister also pressed for stronger research and training ties between Nvidia and local universities and startups.

He suggested the U.S. tech titan to expand its AI Academy scholarship program for local engineers and broaden annual AI Day events beyond HCMC to other cities such as Hanoi and Danang.

Dung also expressed his expectation for closer ties between Nvidia and Vietnam’s National Innovation Center to foster an AI startup ecosystem.

“The government is committed to creating the most favorable conditions for foreign investors, including Nvidia, to operate effectively in Vietnam,” Dung stressed, adding that the bilateral partnership should deliver “practical, comprehensive and sustainable” benefits for both sides.

Last December, the Vietnamese government and Nvidia signed a cooperation agreement on the establishment of an AI research and development center and an AI data center in Vietnam, at the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Nvidia President/CEO Jensen Huang.

The Vietnam AI Research and Development Center (VRDC) and the AI Data Center will serve as a foundation for Nvidia and its domestic partners to advance the research, development, and deployment of cutting-edge AI technologies.