Hanoi (VNA) – The Au Lac Grand Prize has been launched to recognise artificial intelligence (AI) products and solutions developed and mastered by Vietnamese innovators that deliver strong and lasting socio-economic impact.
Organisers said the prize will focus on AI products and solutions that have been fully developed and applied in real-world settings. Entries will be assessed against a clear set of criteria, including impact, innovation, sustainability, scalability and adherence to ethical AI principles.
The competition is open to all Vietnamese citizens, regardless of age, place of residence or professional background, provided the submitted product or solution is legally protected intellectual property developed and owned by Vietnamese individuals or entities and used in compliance with the law. Online registration is expected to open in March and last until July, with the award ceremony scheduled for November 2026.
The top-performing AI product or solution will receive a prize of 1 million USD, together with strategic and technical mentorship and support in accessing international markets from the Au Lac AI Alliance, FPT Corporation and partner organisations.
At the launch ceremony on January 12, Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Au Lac AI Alliance and Chairman of FPT Corporation, emphasised the need for Vietnam to develop sovereign AI to boost productivity, turn ideas into reality and safeguard national interests. Through the Au Lac Grand Prize, the alliance aims to energise the Vietnamese technology community to develop and deploy AI responsibly, while fostering a spirit of technological self-reliance, addressing major national challenges and helping Vietnam keep pace with advanced economies.
The prize is designed to promote technological mastery and reinforce Vietnam’s intellectual presence on the global technology map. It is expected to be awarded over three consecutive years, starting in 2026.
Under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1131/QD-TTg, dated June 12, 2025, on the list of strategic technologies and strategic technological products, AI ranks first among 11 groups of strategic technologies. These are defined as breakthrough technologies with strong spillover effects that play a decisive role in enhancing technological autonomy, strengthening national competitiveness, and ensuring defence and security.
The Au Lac AI Alliance was established on June 20, 2025. Its founding members include leading technology corporations and start-ups such as MobiFone, VNPT, FPT, CMC, BKAV, Misa, MoMo, VNPAY, Zalo, AI For Vietnam, AI Hay, N2TP and Finhay, along with a number of universities and academies, including the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, the Academy of Cryptography Techniques, HCM City University of Technology and Education, Ton Duc Thang University, HCM City University of Law, and FPT University.
The alliance aims to develop large language models capable of processing Vietnamese accurately and naturally, in line with the country’s culture and identity, thereby raising public knowledge and driving economic development. It also seeks to build an open and transparent AI ecosystem enabling individuals, organisations and businesses to freely access and use shared assets such as source code, data and models, even for commercial purposes, to spur innovation, expand AI adoption and advance national AI sovereignty./.
