(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam has climbed 14 places to 62nd in the 2021 Government Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Index, according to an annual report released by the UK’s Oxford Insights in collaboration with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). With an overall score of 51.82 out of 100, Vietnam ranked 6th in ASEAN.
 (Illustrative photo: VNA) |
The index evaluated the artificial intelligence readiness of 160 countries in AI application and public services such as Government, technology, and database infrastructure. It was the first year Vietnam’s score surpassed the global average of 47.42. Compared to 2020, Vietnam has built better tools and an environment for AI application to improve public services and create more economic advantages.
Experts say AI application and development will help businesses and organizations digitally transform their mode of operation. Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Bank for Industry and Trade, Vietinbank, Tran Cong Quynh Lan said that the bank’s operation was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and transaction volume dropped significantly. During the difficult period, Vietinbank enhanced remote work technology.
“Vietinbank has arranged remote work schedules and meetings with clients. Many of our clients liked our working methods instead of in-person meetings. It helped save travelling costs and time, abide by pandemic prevention measures, and gain customers’ trust,” said Mr. Lan.
Mr. Lan said AI has been applied in management, operation, and data analysis of transactions. Chatbot app can answer employees’ common questions and help them solve problems instead of seeking answers from specific sections or personnel.
This is a dialogue with the automatic reply system of Thai Binh province's COVID-19 Prevention and Control Switchboard. It uses AI to process voice to automatically answer up to 600 calls at a time. Pham Quang Vinh, Director of Viettel Cyberbot, Vietnam Cyberspace Center which developed the Auto-Answer Switchboard, said that during the pandemic many cities and provinces used the technology to remind people to install the Blue Zone or PC-COVID apps. The applications can immediately answer a big number of calls and content that people can hardly remember, which helps save time and human resources, and limit direct contact.
Mr. Vinh said: “Firstly the system transcribes voice into text and processes information to understand the message. Then the system matches the questions with answers in the database and transforms the text answers into audio format.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has boosted the digital transformation demand of organizations, businesses, and individuals. Dr. Tran Viet Hung, founder and President of Got It, an AI company in the US, recommended that Vietnam use AI to navigate traffic and transport, warn drivers of traffic jams, and suggest alternative routes, similarly as Uber and Grab are doing. AI helps e-commerce platforms analyse customers’ hobbies and suggest suitable products. In education, AI apps can thoroughly understand students and customize training strategies for individuals. Dr. Hung said that in order to promote AI, Vietnam should improve its database, calculation ability, and human resources.
“Firstly database is very important because machines and algorithm use database. The better the database is, the smarter system can suggest solutions to suit specific purposes. Second is calculation ability to process big quantity and number. Third is human. AI depends largely on algorithm designed by humans and humans train AI systems,” said Dr. Hung.
Dang Duc Thao, Deputy Director of Viettel Cyberspace Center, recommended that to solve the human resource problem, technology solutions should be designed in a way that is easy to understand and use.
“The leaders of organizations and businesses approach digital transformation differently. AI is another level. It’s difficult for employees to approach AI. To promote AI we try to design our products and services at the easiest and most simple way,” said Mr. Thao.
Since 2014 Vietnam has included AI on its list of technology prioritized for investment. The government has identified it as one of the key breakthrough technologies of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution that needs to be studied and developed. In January 2021, the Government issued the National Strategy for AI Research, Development and Application until 2030. The strategy aims to make Vietnam among the four leading countries in ASEAN and 50 nations globally in terms of AI research, development and application by 2030.