Senior citizens embrace the digital era
In a small 20-square-meter room at the headquarters of Neighborhood 36, Hanh Thong Ward, elderly residents are gathered for the "Digital Touchpoint" class, armed with smartphones and a keen desire to learn. Mai Thi Hau, 79, head of the local Senior Citizens' Association, shared her enthusiasm: "Our neighborhood has 355 seniors. Before, I only used Zalo and Facebook to talk to my children and grandchildren. Since joining the 'Digital Touchpoint' class, I’ve become comfortable with technology and now even use AI applications for my work. I feel like I am keeping pace with the digital age, and that brings me great joy."
Nguyen Thi Dung, Deputy Secretary of the local party cell and Head of Neighborhood 36, noted that the neighborhood, home to over 3,000 residents across 1,023 households, has seen growing interest. Members of the Community Digital Technology Team provide practical training on searching for information, paying taxes via eTax Mobile, and tracking administrative records online. Seeing the tangible benefits of these tools has motivated residents to participate in classes in increasing numbers.
At the "Digital Literacy Center and Digital Ho Chi Minh Cultural Space" in Hanh Thong Ward, seniors are actively practicing on computers. Nguyen Thanh Liem, 71, of Neighborhood 14, uses the Gemini AI app to navigate electronic party member handbooks. "Many seniors here have signed up for the ward’s AI classes, which help us access information and simplify our daily tasks," he said.
HCMC mobilizes volunteers to train 2 million residents by 2030
Ho Chi Minh City is implementing the "AI for Citizens" program for the 2025–2030 period, with a goal of training 2 million residents by 2030. During the 2026–2027 kickoff phase, the program aims to help at least 100,000 people per year master basic AI skills through a hybrid of in-person and online learning.
Nguyen Thi Thu Suong, Head of the Science and Technology Development Department at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, stated that the department is collaborating with Google, AMD, and Canva to create intuitive learning materials that minimize technical jargon, making AI accessible to everyone.
The program relies on a network of over 29,000 members of Community Digital Technology Teams, bolstered by university and college volunteers. During the 2026 summer campaign, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City mobilized over 4,000 volunteers to support grassroots digital transformation. Notably, the "Digital Summer" team, comprising nearly 1,000 students, is dedicated to guiding residents through digital platforms, AI applications, and online public administrative procedures. Across the city, various higher education institutions have mobilized over 10,000 volunteers to support these efforts.
Nguyen Dang Khoa, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union and President of the Vietnam Students Association in Ho Chi Minh City, affirmed that young volunteers are "going to every alley, knocking on every door" to help residents integrate digital services and AI into their everyday lives.
