Director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia at the Meta Group Rafael Frankel (Photo: National Innovation Centre) Speaking at a press conference for the Vietnam Innovation Challenge2024 earlier this week, Rafael Frankel, Director of Public Policy for SoutheastAsia at the Meta Group, pointed out the remarkable transformation of Vietnam'seconomy over the past 23 years. He attributed this growth to the unwaveringdrive of the Vietnamese people and the Government's increasingly open policies,particularly in technology realm, including collaborations with countrieslike the US and the American business community.
While acknowledging Vietnam's progress, Frankel stressed theimportance of maintaining an open policy to attract global investors andtechnology companies.
"The (Vietnamese) Government should remain open and continueto be a place where investors and technology companies from around the worldwant to come and do business," Rafael said, reaffirming Meta’s commitmentto supporting Vietnamese businesses in fostering innovation and advancing AIand semiconductor technologies.
AI, alongside the semiconductor industry, is considered acornerstone of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Its impact transcendstechnology, potentially revolutionising research, work dynamics, and contentcreation, and is expected to contribute trillions of US dollars to theglobal economy, as indicated by the McKinsey 2023 Report.
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Huy Dong highlightedVietnam's proactive efforts to catch up with global AI development. He citedthe government's initiatives, including the introduction of a national AIstrategy until 2030, which has propelled Vietnam to the 55th position inthe AI readiness index in 2022.
Several Vietnamese companies, including FPT, Viettel AI, VNPTAI and VIN AI, are deeply engaged in AI research and application.
Phung Viet Thang, Country Director of Intel Vietnam, emphasisedthe necessity of a clear government strategy to bolster AI development acrossindustries.
Meta to launch AI products in Vietnam in 2024
In 2024, Meta plans to introduce AI products and services in AsiaPacific, including Vietnam.
“We already have on the roadmap to launch AI products acrossWhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram in 2024 in Asia Pacific and Vietnam iscurrently on that roadmap,” Rafael said, believing these tools can supportsmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam to foster innovation andgrowth.
Last September, Meta unveiled its first generative AI products,including a chatbot capable of generating text responses and photorealisticimages. Meta AI is set to enhance user experiences on platforms like WhatsApp,Messenger, and Instagram, leveraging artificial intelligence for improvedfunctionality and engagement./.
VNA
