Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a technology of the future but a critical part of today's infrastructure, requiring Vietnam to gain greater control over data, computing infrastructure, technology and human resources to ensure sustainable AI development.
The issue was highlighted at a workshop on "AI and data sovereignty in the digital era", jointly held by the southern office of the Vietnam Internet Association (VIA) and Quang Trung Software City Development Company Limited (QTSC) in Ho Chi Minh City on July 22.
Pham Thi Kim Phuong, Deputy Director of QTSC, said AI can only generate meaningful value when powered by data. Data has become a strategic asset and a key resource for socio-economic development, as well as a foundation of national competitiveness. As a result, effective data governance, utilisation and protection have become increasingly urgent for organisations and businesses.
She noted that the concept of sovereign AI is attracting growing attention worldwide. Sovereign AI goes beyond owning AI technology to encompass the ability to control data, computing infrastructure and technology platforms, while developing human resources and innovation capabilities to serve national and business interests.
For Vietnam, experts said this is a critical period as policies and regulations governing data, information security, personal data protection and AI governance are gradually being strengthened, laying the groundwork for a safe and sustainable digital economy.
Nguyen Van Phuong from Hewlett Packard Enterprise Vietnam warned that sensitive data, including state secrets, financial information and medical records, could be vulnerable to unauthorised access when stored or processed on infrastructure beyond an organisation's control, increasing risks to data sovereignty and information security.
He described sovereign AI as a strategic imperative. While priorities may vary among organisations, common drivers include strengthening economic competitiveness, achieving technological autonomy, safeguarding national security, fostering innovation, and preserving cultural and linguistic identity.
Experts also noted a growing trend among businesses, particularly those handling critical or highly sensitive data, towards deploying AI on their own infrastructure rather than relying entirely on public cloud platforms.
Tran Thanh Lam, head of QTSC's Cybersecurity Centre, said AI sovereignty in cybersecurity does not begin simply with deploying AI, but with organisations' ability to manage its AI attack surface. Organisations should identify and map their AI assets, establish clear policies on AI use and data classification, conduct security exercises, and strengthen training and research on AI security.
Discussions at the workshop also examined the relationship between digital infrastructure, data and sovereign AI as businesses accelerate AI adoption.
Experts emphasised that data infrastructure, graphics processing units (GPUs), high-performance computing and large-scale AI deployment models are fundamental to building autonomous AI capabilities for both businesses and countries./.
