In the heart of Ninh Binh this October, Vietnam is poised to take a bold step forward in the global race for artificial intelligence supremacy. On October 28, 2025, leading experts—both local and international—will gather for an international forum on strategic technology, focusing on Vietnam’s ambitious plans to develop three key AI products: large Vietnamese language models, virtual assistants, and industry-specific AI solutions. The event forms the centerpiece of Vietnam International Digital Week 2025, which runs from October 27 to 29 under the guidance of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
This year’s Digital Week isn’t just another tech gathering. It’s a statement of intent. According to the Ministry, Vietnam now regards AI as a strategic backbone for its digital economy, aiming to make artificial intelligence both a driver of innovation and a lever for sustainable growth. The three AI product groups under discussion are part of a broader list of 35 strategic technology domains approved by the Prime Minister in June 2025—a clear sign that the nation is determined to stand tall on the global AI stage.
The forum’s agenda is tightly focused. At its core are sessions dedicated to large Vietnamese language models (LLMs) and virtual assistants—technologies capable of understanding and responding in Vietnamese, a language celebrated for its tonal richness and complex contextual cues. The challenges are formidable. As outlined by the organizers, experts will tackle the thorny issues of standardizing Vietnamese language data, building high-performance AI computing infrastructure, and establishing robust cooperation between the government, academia, and industry. These are not just technical hurdles; they’re the keys to developing a homegrown language model that can genuinely serve Vietnamese users.
But the conversation doesn’t stop at language. Another major session will dive into industry-specific AI and analytics, with a sharp focus on practical applications. In healthcare, for example, AI is being positioned to assist with image-based diagnosis, early anomaly detection, disease forecasting, and even the optimization of hospital operations. Meanwhile, in the urban management sphere, AI could soon be crunching vast datasets to predict traffic jams, monitor air quality, forecast storms and landslides, and help authorities manage risks more effectively. The forum’s clear goal: to spotlight AI tools that are feasible within the next 12 to 18 months, with a strong preference for those that can deliver quick, tangible benefits.
Vietnam International Digital Week isn’t all about panels and presentations. The event is designed as a bustling networking hub, expanding opportunities for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) collaboration. It’s a chance for companies to share ideas, find new partners, and lay the groundwork for future AI projects. The theme for this year—"Legal Frameworks for Artificial Intelligence – AI Legal Frameworks"—underscores a fundamental concern: ensuring that AI development remains safe, reliable, and, above all, human-centered.
While the forum sets the stage for Vietnam’s AI ambitions, the country’s private sector is already making waves. On October 26, 2025, Samsung was honored with two major awards at the Better Choice Awards 2025 for its outstanding Vietnamese language AI solutions and pioneering applications designed specifically for Vietnamese users. According to the awards committee, Samsung’s recognition is a testament to its sustained, two-year effort since launching Galaxy AI on the Galaxy S24 line in early 2024. The company’s technology has quickly become a core platform, now present on a wide array of devices throughout the Galaxy ecosystem, with the ambitious goal of reaching more than 400 million devices by year’s end.
What sets Samsung’s approach apart? From the outset, the company made Vietnamese language support a cornerstone of its global AI strategy. Vietnamese was among the first 13 languages included—no small feat, given the country’s 101 million users and its high level of tech adoption in Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese version of Galaxy AI has been trained on a diverse dataset, capturing dialects and vocabularies from across the country. Samsung’s Research & Development team in Vietnam played a direct role in building and refining the models, ensuring that the AI could distinguish between formal and colloquial Vietnamese. The result? Virtual assistants that communicate in a way that feels natural, accurate, and distinctly Vietnamese.
Samsung’s efforts go beyond the technical. The company has woven AI into the fabric of Vietnamese culture and education. One standout example is the "One Night with Poets" event at the historic Temple of Literature, where visitors used Galaxy AI to explore ancient steles, learn about national luminaries, and even translate old texts—all through a blend of camera and voice technology. In 2025, Samsung also partnered with the National Tourism Authority for the "Galaxy AI understands Vietnamese – Honoring Vietnamese Tourism" creative contest, which drew over 2,000 participants and racked up more than 100 million interactions on social media. Through these initiatives, users are encouraged not just to test out AI features, but to use the technology to tell their own stories about Vietnamese culture, people, and landscapes.
As Samsung’s journey shows, technology can be a force for both modern convenience and cultural preservation. The company’s approach—integrating AI with local values and traditions—demonstrates that cutting-edge innovation doesn’t have to come at the expense of heritage. In fact, it can help keep that heritage alive and relevant in the digital age.
Looking ahead, Samsung has signaled its intention to keep pushing forward. Its "Voices of Galaxy" campaign, for instance, will highlight inspiring stories of young Vietnamese people who harness technology to express themselves and make their mark. The underlying message is clear: technology only truly matters when it serves the people, languages, and cultures it touches.
Back at the national level, the deep-dive discussions at Vietnam’s AI forum are expected to chart a clear path for the country’s journey toward mastering and applying AI. It’s an ambitious agenda, but one that reflects a confident, proactive stance in the fast-evolving world of technology. As Vietnam positions itself as both a creator and a beneficiary of next-generation AI, the coming months and years promise to be a fascinating—and potentially transformative—chapter in the nation’s digital story.