The Vietnamese government and U.S. chip giant NVIDIA have inked an agreement to open an artificial intelligence (AI) research and development center and an AI data center in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, oversaw the signing between the two sides on Thursday afternoon.

The centers will serve as platforms for NVIDIA and its local partners to nurture AI innovation.

The agreement resulted from the two sides’ close partnership over the past year, starting from PM Chinh’s visit to the NVIDIA headquarters in the United States in September last year.

The prime minister shared appreciation for Huang’s strong determination and commitment to turning Vietnam into NVIDIA’s ‘second home.’

Huang expressed his pleasure to be able to return to Vietnam and announce the establishment of a research and development center focused on AI and continue discussions with the prime minister about the AI, semiconductor, and technology sectors in the Southeast Asian country.

He affirmed that it was time for Vietnam to promote AI development, particularly when AI is changing the way nations process data.

The energy industry has transformed water and sunlight into electricity, and AI, a new industry, is converting electricity and data into valuable digital intelligence, he underlined.

Like electricity, thousands of billions of dollars generated from the AI industry will be consumed by Vietnamese people and companies, he stated.

Highly valuing Vietnam’s potential and strengths, Huang stressed that the government’s support and investment in the AI field would be a great boost for building an AI ecosystem for Vietnam and NVIDIA.

“We will always be a friend and a partner of Vietnam during its AI development journey,” he said.

He also thanked the prime minister for his vision and encouragement, underscoring that the prime minister’s visit in 2023 and his message convinced him of Vietnam’s capabilities and future prosperity possibly fueled by AI.

The prime minister called on the two sides to enhance cooperation in training the workforce, inspire startup and innovation activities among young generations, and unlock Vietnam’s potential through AI.

The Vietnamese government is committed to creating favorable conditions for the partnership.

Speaking at a press briefing after the signing, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that cooperation with NVIDIA marked a key milestone for Vietnam, highlighting the country’s potential and position in research and development, especially related to AI.

Building a world-standard AI research and development center run by NVIDIA acts as a foundation for the development of an AI ecosystem in Vietnam, boosting the application of advanced AI technology.

The center will attract talent and high-skilled hi-tech engineers to Vietnam as well as tap into NVIDIA’s resources.

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