Dr. Christopher Cuong Nguyen introduces the AISC 2025 at a press conference in Hanoi on February 24, 2025. (Photo: NIC)

Bao Tram: Why did you decide to organize AISC 2025 in Vietnam?

Christopher Nguyen: Two reasons. One is that the convergence of AI and semiconductors is a globally interesting event, so there's a lot of professional and business interests in things that enable AI from the semiconductor side and semiconductor technology to enable AI. So, an AI semiconductor conference attracts a lot of researchers, leaders, and others to come together to have a very high-quality international conference, and my business, Aitomatic, hosts it. We’ve run these conferences at places like Stanford for three years and we thought it would be valuable to do one at the intersection of AI and semiconductors. Let's call that the global reason. Now, in the last few years, after the visit of the Prime Minister of Vietnam to Silicon Valley, we had meetings and I learned more about what Vietnam has been trying to do in terms of modernization and connection to global technology. I've been working with the Minister of Planning and Investment, Mr. Nguyen Chi Dung, and find him very earnest and very energetic in trying to bring technology and business to Vietnam. He had been talking to us about doing this AI and semiconductor conference – not in Paris or Tokyo or Singapore – but in Vietnam, in Hanoi. That came up in a meeting in New York with my former boss at Google, Dr. Eric Schmidt, and General Secretary To Lam when he visited during UN week, and at that meeting we discussed this AI-semiconductor conference. That was back in September and that was when we said, “Yes. Let's do it in Vietnam, because that’s the most interesting place for the intersection of AI and semiconductors.”

Bao Tram: AISC 2025 will bring together 1,000 representatives of leading tech firms like Google DeepMind, IBM, Intel, TSMC, Qorvo, Marvell, and many others. What do you think are their expectation in participating in this event in Vietnam?  

 Christopher Nguyen: There's inherent global interest in the intersection of AI and semiconductors, because of everything that’s been happening: the reindustrialization of the US, bringing back semiconductor manufacturing, all this global interest in AI, and people wanting to know how semiconductors can enable AI, and how AI can improve semiconductor processes. And Vietnam happens to be a very interesting place right now, because of the geopolitical realignment of the supply chain because of the human resources available in Vietnam that countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore are looking for. So that combination is of great interest to researchers and business leaders worldwide. And a lot of us, including the government of Vietnam, are aware that there is a severe labor shortage in the semiconductor market. In the next five or six years – certainly in ten years – the world is going to be short about one million workers in the semiconductor industry. So, there's an inherent interest in the talent pool available in Vietnam. In the last few years Vietnam has invested in attracting FDI. You may know that Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, recently said we need to invest seven trillion dollars in semiconductors for AI. That’s very strong demand, and the supply of talent and interest in Vietnam makes it a very good match for the market dynamic of supply and demand.

Bao Tram: What are the investors’ concern in investing in AI and semiconductor development in Vietnam?

Christopher Nguyen:  Investors are always concerned about ROI (Return on Investment). They see anything new as risky. One of the things they're concerned about is basing a long-term bet on a solid legal framework. In any emerging economy there are more legal uncertainties and problems understanding what the legal framework is. But I'm quite encouraged, particularly in the last five or six years, and especially in the last year, since To Lam came became General Secretary, to see a very clear and conscientious effort to build a solid framework, accelerate investments, and create an attractive and supportive infrastructure. A lot of things that have been pending in Vietnam – like streamlining the government – suddenly, after 10 years, are taking place. High-speed rail, airports, and so on, that are needed for a logistics center – because, when you build semiconductors, you need logistics to bring materials in and ship products out – those things now seem to be moving. I think the risk-return balance is moving in a positive direction, as far as the investors are concerned.

Christopher Nguyen:  Some very interesting projects will be announced. One of my own company’s innovations is called SemiKong (semi as in semiconductor, and Kong as in King Kong). It’s a foundational model for the semiconductor industry. We first announced it in July, 2024, but there are new versions coming and it's being used for new semiconductor applications. So, the attendees will learn more about that. Another example is the Alpha chip project from Google DeepMind. One concern about IC design is that it’s very labor intensive. Many PhDs working round the clock may take six months to ship a new design. If something goes wrong, you’ve lost six months. We're using AI to assist with the design process. Google DeepMind researchers will be talking about that issue. On the organizational side, the leadership of the AI Alliance is coming. The AI Alliance is a 160-member global organization dedicated to open and safe AI. The AI Alliance intends to induct five or six new members from corporations in Vietnam, and that will be announced at the conference. Those are some examples of what the attendees will learn at AISC.

Bao Tram: How can Vietnam become more competitive in attracting AI and semiconductor investment?

Christopher Nguyen: I think Vietnam already has quite an advantage in human resources. Human resources must be converted into talent through training and education. That's an area Vietnam should invest in aggressively. Another area is the infrastructure needed to supply energy to a growing economy, and the infrastructure needed to connect north and south. If it invests in those areas Vietnam has the talent it needs to win.

Bao Tram: Thank you, Dr. Christopher Cuong Nguyen, for spending some time today with VOV.