NVIDIA expands AI footprint to Vietnam

NVIDIA opens its first R&D center in Vietnam that focuses on developing AI use cases for the country.

Vietnam continues to be on the radar for NVIDIA as the tech company opens its first research and development center. With AI development in Vietnam gaining momentum, the opening of the center signals NVIDIA’s its confidence in the country’s bright AI future.

Launched in collaboration with the Vietnamese government, the Vietnam Research and Development Centre will focus primarily on developing AI use cases for the country. Specifically, the R&D center will focus on software development by capitalizing on the country’s strong talent pool of STEM engineers. The center will also engage industry leaders, startups, government agencies, universities and students to accelerate the adoption of AI.

According to Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, leveraging NVIDIA expertise in AI development, the tech giant will partner with a vibrant ecosystem of researchers, startups and enterprise organizations to build incredible AI in Vietnam.

NVIDIA’s partners will also be able to leverage the center to develop to nurture AI innovation. Be it researchers or startups, the center will provide them with the capabilities to develop AI applications for key industries such as healthcare, education, transportation and finance.

Prior to the opening of the R&D center in Vietnam, NVIDIA has also spread its presence across the region through various partnerships. In December 2023, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said NVIDIA will have a strategic partnership with Malaysian conglomerate YTL to build an AI data center involving a RM20 billion investment. In April this year, Indonesia Communications Minister announced that local telco giant Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison is planning to build a US$200 million AI center in the country by partnering NVIDIA as well.

AI in Vietnam

Vietnam continues to experience rapid expansion in manufacturing for technology, automotive, electronics and textiles. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Vietnam’s AI market has also been growing in recent years, backed by technological advancements, government support and greater integration of AI in various industries.

Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam commented that the government of Vietnam is focused on innovation as one of the key elements of its development strategy.

“With this strategic partnership, the Vietnamese government and NVIDIA are committed to jointly promoting the strong development of AI technology in Vietnam and creating a bright future for the innovation ecosystem and high-tech industry in Southeast Asia.”

Apart from the new AI R&D center, NVIDIA has been investing in Vietnam’s technology ecosystem for the last eight years. The company is also engaged with more than 100 Vietnamese AI startups as part of its Inception program in addition to 65 universities within the country. Last year, NVIDIA began collaborating with FPT Smart Cloud as its first Vietnamese cloud partner.

An alternative to China

Vietnam has also seen as the best alternative for US businesses that are looking to move their hubs out of China. Given the geopolitical situation between the US and China as well as the trade war, more US businesses have begun moving their operations out of China and into Vietnam.

NVIDIA’s investments in Vietnam will only see more US companies have increased confidence in moving their operations to Vietnam. Given that NVIDIA is focusing on developing more AI use cases in the country, the possibilities of businesses having modern AI manufacturing capabilities will also be boosted.