Commenting on the quality of the received contest papers, Vice Chairman Duong Anh Duc shared that this competition, which is supposed to be held annually from 2020, belongs to regular activities to boost the growth of AI in HCMC and effectively apply it to tackle current negative issues.
They are the response to the project approved by the Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee regarding transforming the city into a smart city in the period from 2017-2020, with a vision to 2025. After that, on July 3 this year, the Chairman agreed with the city’s digital transformation program to take advantage of technological advances in Industry 4.0 and improve competitiveness of large-scaled businesses sited here while developing the shared digital economy.
Therefore, this AI-related contest becomes the foundation solution to fulfill all goals of the above project and program.
Until now, it seems that the contest has been able to attract interest of various organizations nationwide. The first category of the contest, called AI-Solution, obtained 39 solutions and products. 8 products and solutions of the first category were chosen to enter the final round. They clearly demonstrate the effective use of AI in real life.
The second one, named ‘AI-Challenge’, recorded 534 candidates in 217 registered teams from different countries like Vietnam National University – HCMC (Vietnam), Yonsei University (the Republic of Korea), Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University (Singapore), together with high school students from Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, and researchers from various businesses such as VNG, VNPT-IT, FPT Information System, AIOZ, and VinAI.
When asked to brief the AI program of HCMC, the Vice Chairman said that at the moment, HCMC sets three specific goals for this program.
The first one is to establish an ecosystem to research and then implement AI in the reality so that this valuable technology can be the core to serve the digital transformation process and smart city creation;
The second goal is to promote the AI industry in particular and the IT one in general so that they will be the key in Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth of HCMC, contributing to its sustainable development.
The last is to turn HCMC into one of the leaders in ASEAN and the center of both Vietnam and the region in researching and applying AI technology.
Mr. Duc added that the municipal authorities have carried out simultaneous solutions to achieve those missions. One of them is to form an AI research center for studying and integrating various aspects of AI technology, including network, software, content, IT infrastructure. Another is this special AI-related contest.
He then informed that in the near future, the city will introduce an AI-related Consultation Council, comprised of experienced AI experts who can help the local authorities to identify useful strategies, launch short- and long-term programs.
Answering the question about the potential of AI growth in HCMC, the Vice Chairman shared that the city has already signed an agreement with the Ministry of Information and Communications regarding a comprehensive program for IT development, including necessary tools for Internet of Things, the infrastructure for 5G mobile network, and appropriate content for smart city establishment via AI application.
Finally, Mr Duong Anh Duc cited the opinion of Secretary of HCMC Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan that it is impossible to build a smart city or to enter Industry 4.0 without researching and implementing AI technology.
This clearly shows that HCMC now possess sufficient economic and academic conditions to join hand with the whole country to form an AI research and application center.
