The Vietnam National Innovation Centre (NIC) and Meta on March 14 launched the Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2025, the third edition of the annual programme, to advance artificial intelligence (AI) development.

At the launch of the Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2025, the third edition of the annual programme. (Photo: VNA)

This year's theme centres on Project ViGen, an endeavour to create high-quality, open-source, Vietnamese datasets for the training and enhancement of large language models (LLMs) so AI models can better understand Vietnamese culture, context, and expressions. This will enhance Vietnamese language representation in AI, while also fuelling rapid and sustainable economic growth in Vietnam.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, NIC's Deputy Director Vo Xuan Hoai said AI is transforming the world. Therefore, developing large-scale, high-quality and open-source Vietnamese datasets for AI training and evaluation has become an urgent priority.

Project ViGen aligns well with a government resolution which aims to drive breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.

Project ViGen requires a collective effort from policymakers, think tanks, researchers, developers, experts, and users alike, he said, adding that joint efforts will help transform AI into a powerful tool for every Vietnamese and make Vietnam a global AI powerhouse.

Sarim Aziz, director of public policy at Meta, speaks at the launching ceremony. (Photo: VNA)

Sarim Aziz, director of public policy at Meta, said 2025 is a pivotal year for AI in Vietnam. Meta is honoured to partner with the NIC and the AI for Vietnam Foundation on Project ViGen.

By empowering Vietnamese researchers, developers, and businesses with open-source AI models like Llama and resources that understand their unique context, Meta is making it easier for them to unlock their full potential and drive meaningful innovation in AI that is uniquely suited to Vietnam's needs, he said.

Prof. Yann LeCun, Vice President and Chief AI Scientist at Meta, also known as one of the “AI Godfathers”, said that Project ViGen and the Vietnam Innovation Challenge are not just about advancing technology, they are e about building an inclusive AI future that celebrates and integrates Vietnam's unique cultural and linguistic heritage.

At the ceremony, Meta and Deloitte also announced a new public sector guide "Transforming the Asia Pacific Public Sector through Open Source AI: Unlocking Innovation with Llama”. This guide complements the Vietnam Innovation Challenge by providing a roadmap for government agencies to effectively integrate open-source AI technologies. Together, these initiatives aim to create a cohesive strategy for AI development in Vietnam that benefits both the public and private sectors./.

Source: VNA