Cover Dr Tran Viet Hung is quietly building a national strategic indigenous AI ecosystem
Dr Tran Viet Hung is quietly building a national strategic indigenous AI ecosystem
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Dr Tran Viet Hung is gradually developing a national strategic indigenous AI ecosystem. Rather than pursuing pure commercialisation, he has chosen a non-profit model aimed at popularising technology, training human resources, and advancing Vietnam’s digital knowledge sovereignty.
In conversation with Tatler Vietnam, he reveals the reasons behind this decision and why he believes it is a sustainable path for an innovative Vietnam.
Vision of AI ecosystem for Vietnamese people
At the recent Vietnam R&D Forum 2025, you mentioned that “Vietnam should popularise AI for the people before considering research,” citing the lack of three key elements: human resources, computing capacity, and quality data. You are also involved in several initiatives: AI for Vietnam, ViGen, Digital Education for the People, STEAM for Vietnam, which may appear wide-ranging but together form a strategic ecosystem. Could you share more about the vision behind this AI ecosystem for Vietnamese people?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: AI, particularly Generative AI, has made a remarkable leap, surprising many with its ability to handle end-to-end processes once thought impossible. In Vietnam, since our research infrastructure, human resources, and data systems remain limited, we should focus on practical applications, using AI as a tool to improve efficiency, create economic value, and gradually build the foundation for deeper research.
The good news is that, for the first time, Vietnam has a genuine opportunity to join the global technology wave rather than trail behind it. Many Vietnamese professionals abroad hope the country will seize this chance to generate real value. That is why we have embarked on foundational projects like ViGen, creating a large-scale Vietnamese dataset to train and assess AI’s Vietnamese language abilities. The goal is for AI to understand Vietnamese more accurately and naturally, enabling everyone to use it seamlessly in daily life.
This project has drawn enthusiastic support from Meta, the National Innovation Center (NIC), Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Information Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Viettel, Nvidia, and many others.
When a project is both grassroots and mutually beneficial, collaboration comes naturally. It is like building a new “highway” together, one that accelerates progress while opening countless new paths.
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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From a national perspective, what challenges is your ecosystem, spanning AI popularisation, human resource training, and localised AI models, helping to address within Vietnam’s R&D and innovation strategy? Which foundational layers should Vietnam prioritise before seeking technological breakthroughs?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: First, financial strength. By adopting AI early, we can create value quickly, generating resources for further investment. Widespread AI adoption will nurture real demand and stimulate the growth of an entire ecosystem.
Next, human resources. To achieve big goals, we need tens of thousands of skilled professionals. Since we currently lack this talent pool, we must train individuals capable of matching or surpassing international peers. Once we have a strong talent base, major corporations will establish R&D centres in Vietnam, leveraging and further developing our workforce. For instance, Microsoft Research Asia played a crucial role in training the team that went on to create DeepSeek in China. As investment grows, so will our computing power and data ecosystem.
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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Dr Tran Viet Hung: Another vital pillar is localising AI in Vietnamese. If we rely solely on English-based models, we will always lag behind. Mastering Vietnamese AI means having tools that serve the people and intellectual property rooted in our own cultural and knowledge sovereignty. It allows Vietnam to define how AI reflects its culture, wisdom, and aspirations.
In short, the roadmap is clear: start with applications to create value, train human resources, and then build data and infrastructure. Yet AI evolves rapidly, so flexibility is key. What is essential today may become obsolete within months.
The vital significance of AI localisation
Most powerful AI models today are built on English. If Vietnam does not develop its own language and culturally attuned models, what are the risks? And conversely, what would success look like?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: Using English AI gives us access to vast global knowledge: an advantage. But it limits usability to those proficient in English, who form only a small portion of Vietnam’s population. Moreover, English-based AI cannot fully capture Vietnam’s cultural nuances, dialects, or regional expressions. When tools feel unnatural, users hesitate to adopt them, missing the chance to harness AI’s immense potential. The greatest risk, therefore, is the cost of missed opportunity.
Read more: Cultural heritage in the digital age: how Asian creatives are using AI to preserve traditions
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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Conversely, success would mean every Vietnamese person could use AI to work faster and more efficiently. Education, healthcare, public services, and business would see significant transformation. AI would become indispensable to creative and labour activities alike.
The biggest worry is that we won’t move fast enough and miss out on opportunities. In technology, chances are short-lived – if we hesitate, we fall back to the starting line. That’s why we must keep running.
Nonprofit philosophy
With your strong tech background and commercial success in Silicon Valley, you could easily profit from AI, especially with native language models. Why, then, did you choose a non-profit approach with projects like ViGen? Is it a stepping stone to later commercialisation, or a matter of principle?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: It depends on one’s perspective. Some measure value in money; others, in what they create. Many of us have built stable lives abroad, earning more would not change much. What drives us now is meaning. For us, value lies not in revenue but in social impact. While these initiatives could generate profit, our aim is larger: to create positive impact and build a foundation for the community.
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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AI for Vietnam and STEAM for Vietnam are non-profit organisations. Yet goodwill alone cannot sustain them. How do you ensure their long-term viability in finance, human resources, and operations?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: STEAM for Vietnam has been running for five years, establishing a strong reputation. Its core strength lies in its volunteer network of more than 600 tech experts and international students worldwide. Their contribution enables us to achieve so much.
Financially, we rely on grants from global corporations, embassies, philanthropists, and even our own volunteers. They dedicate time, effort, and funds because they see value beyond money. Operating costs remain low since volunteers are unpaid: expenses mainly cover hosting and essential infrastructure. We have never charged students or teachers; all funding benefits Vietnam directly. Still, we are exploring revenue-generating strategies to safeguard operations in case external support diminishes.
Read more: Apple announces A19 Pro chip and a series of new masterpieces: a move to return to the AI race
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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AI for Vietnam, launched earlier this year, has already received significant financial and technical backing from numerous individuals and institutions due to its high-impact potential. Domestic enterprises also seek collaboration, from building AI strategies and consulting to human resource training, providing additional income streams to sustain operations.
Different approach
Are there similar models elsewhere? What sets your ecosystem apart, and why does it suit Vietnam’s needs?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: GenAI remains in its early days, a time when “a hundred flowers bloom.” Most large models are English-based, while languages like Vietnamese are considered low-resource. Around the world, many experiments are underway, but few models stand out. Hence, we follow a “learning by doing” approach, constantly refining as we go.
AI for Vietnam rests on three core principles. First, standing on the shoulders of giants: instead of training models from scratch, we develop Vietnamese datasets and collaborate with open-source model creators. Second, open source: all generated data will be public, enabling both Vietnamese and global innovators to use it. Third, an open innovation ecosystem: anyone from students labelling data to corporations providing computing power can contribute according to their abilities.
What makes this approach unique is its speed and inclusivity. When the whole community participates, progress accelerates dramatically. Things are advancing faster than we expected, and the results will form a shared platform for future innovation.
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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Working on community technology requires both expertise and empathy. What qualities do you seek in those helping to build this ecosystem?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: It sounds complex but is, in fact, quite natural. I do not seek “the best” people but those who share our vision and values. When an organisation is built on that foundation, it naturally attracts the right talent.
Not everyone believes in our chosen path, perhaps only a few out of ten stay. That’s fine. What matters is that those who remain share the same conviction and drive. With that shared DNA, the organisation thrives.
STEAM for Vietnam illustrates this well. It now runs independently, guided by its own culture. I only advise on strategy and resource mobilisation. When the right people are in place, the community sustains itself.
If you turn away, AI will still shape your world so it’s wiser to understand it and learn to make it work for your own future.
Beyond STEAM for Vietnam, AI for Vietnam, and ViGen, what other projects are you nurturing to complete the ecosystem?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: I am “all in” on AI. Besides the projects I lead, I also advise and invest in several AI startups such as Filum AI, which develops AI agents for customer service automation, and ZTO Labs (Zero to One), which builds platforms allowing anyone to create personal AI assistants. I am also involved in several healthcare-related AI initiatives. The common thread is AI, where I believe I can create lasting value.
If a ninth-grade student in a remote northern village asked, “Does AI have anything to do with my future?”, how would you reply?
Dr Tran Viet Hung: I would say yes, absolutely. AI will change lives as profoundly as the steam engine did, but much faster and more widely. Whether you embrace it or not, AI will affect you, so it is best to understand it and learn to use it to shape your own future.
Above Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
Tran Viet Hung, Founder of Got It
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Dr Tran Viet Hung graduated in Computer Science from the University of Iowa, USA, under a VEF scholarship from the US government. He founded Got It, a Silicon Valley-based AI startup that developed learning platforms such as PhotoStudy, MathGPT, and ExcelChat. He also established the non-profit STEAM for Vietnam to promote STEAM education for children, and recently launched AI for Vietnam to bridge research, education, and practical AI applications. The ViGen project, a strategic collaboration between Meta, the National Innovation Center (NIC), and AI for Vietnam, aims to strengthen national AI capacity.
This article is adapted from Tatler Vietnam, September 2025 issue
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