For the first time ever, Vietnam will collaborate with local and global knowledge partners, McKinsey & Company, Vietnam Innovation Network (VIN) and VietAI, to launch Vietnam’snational artificial intelligence (AI) movement through the Vietnam AI Grand Challenge. Bringing together the country’s best AI talent, the Challenge will support corporations in Vietnam and globally in designing the ultimate virtual assistant.

According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the research arm of McKinsey & Company, AI technologies can significantly boost productivity and potentially deliver additional global economic activity of around $13 trillion by 2030. This amounts to 1.2 percent additional GDP growth per year between 2018 and 2030.

Recognizing the importance of AI in Vietnam, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Planning and Investment have partnered with Kambria to deliver the Vietnam AI Grand Challenge, while providing advisory and support for the series. “Kambria is thrilled to be the key driver of the Vietnam AI Grand Challenge,” said Dr. Thuc Vu, CEO of Kambria. “We believe wholeheartedly in the promise of Vietnam to step onto the global stage of AI and robotics development. We have the opportunity to connect Vietnamese AI talents with large corporations using our open innovation platform and to incubate leading projects developed here for global impact.”

As the Challenge’s knowledge partner, global management consulting firm McKinsey will share research insights and perspectives on AI developments. VietAI, a non-profit whose mission is to train and nurture the next generation of young AI talent in Vietnam, will also serve as judges and provide technical education to our developers. VIN, one of the government’s initiatives, aims to connect Vietnamese innovators around the world to boost the technology ecosystem in Southeast Asia. These knowledge partners will work with Kambria to deliver a series of workshops and hackathons focused on AI and robotics.

The Vietnam AI Grand Challenge will take place in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Danang, with an initial series of educational workshops. Hackathons begin in June and will culminate in the Grand Finale in mid-August as part of the AI4VN program. For more information, please visit www.AIGrandChallenge.com.