Vietnam, Japan step up cooperation on safe, trusted AI

The workshop, held as part of Vietnam International Digital Week from Wednesday to Friday in Quang Ninh, brought together representatives of government agencies, research institutes and businesses from both countries to discuss cooperation under the Friends Group of the Hiroshima AI Process, Vietnam Government News reported.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Trang, acting head of the National Institute for Digital Technologies and Digital Transformation under the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology, said AI was identified by Vietnam as a key driver of innovation in national governance and economic restructuring.

Developing technological self-reliance must therefore go hand in hand with international cooperation and the adoption of advanced knowledge and governance practices, she said.

A meeting in Tokyo early this month between Vietnam's Minister of Science and Technology and Japan's Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications laid the groundwork for closer cooperation in digital infrastructure, technology development and safe AI governance.

Koizumi Hidechika, director for international affairs at the Global Strategy Bureau of Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, highlighted the role of bilateral dialogue in translating safe AI governance principles into concrete actions.

Vietnam's active participation in the Friends Group of the Hiroshima AI Process, together with the presence of agencies, organizations and businesses from both countries at the workshop, reflected their shared interest in promoting safe and trustworthy AI, he said.

The workshop featured presentations and discussions on AI governance, risk management, and deployment strategies.

Teramura Yukio, assistant vice-minister for international affairs at Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, joined online to outline Japan's approach to AI governance, safety and risk management, as well as efforts to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN.

Dang Chien Cong, representing the National Institute for Digital Technologies and Digital Transformation, discussed strategic autonomy in an open and interconnected AI ecosystem in line with Vietnam's National AI Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The sessions also examined how to put AI governance frameworks into practice.

Representatives of Vietnamese tech giant FPT Corporation discussed the transition from AI governance frameworks to enterprise AI operating systems, while a representative of the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice presented plans for national big data infrastructure and an autonomous, trustworthy legal AI ecosystem.

VNPT AI representatives shared their experience in developing and deploying trusted AI infrastructure, platforms and solutions.

Other discussions covered corporate AI governance and risk management, assessments of AI safety and reliability, responsible innovation and the use of AI in business.

The exchanges highlighted key requirements for AI development and deployment, ranging from institutional frameworks and risk management to data security, infrastructure development and practical applications in government agencies and businesses.

Japan launched the Hiroshima AI Process at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in May 2023 to promote international cooperation on safe and trustworthy AI governance.

The Friends Group of the Hiroshima AI Process was established in May 2024 to broaden international participation. As of this month, it had 70 participating countries and territories.

Under their bilateral cooperation framework, Vietnam and Japan aim to coordinate on AI strategies and legal frameworks, develop large language models suited to the Vietnamese language and culture, share data, and invest in digital infrastructure and green data centers.

Both sides also seek to strengthen AI safety and risk management, combat online misinformation and train skilled workers through joint programs.