The IAIO was initiated by Professor John Shawe-Taylor, president of the competition and director of the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence, or IRCAI. It is a specialized academic competition that gives school students worldwide opportunities to explore emerging technological challenges.

At IAIO 2026 in Slovenia, the Vietnamese student delegation won two silver medals and one bronze medal. The results provided a strong foundation for the Research Institute for Innovation and Quality Assessment, or RIVA, to bring the competition to Vietnam next year.

This will be the first time Vietnam has hosted the IAIO and the first time the event has been held in Southeast Asia.

IAIO 2027 is scheduled to take place in Da Nang from February 25 to March 2, 2027. It is expected to attract about 300 delegates from more than 40 countries and territories, creating a major opportunity for Vietnamese students to engage in international academic exchanges.

Selecting Vietnam's national team

To prepare a team to compete on home soil, the Vietnam Artificial Intelligence Olympiad has officially begun.

VAIO 2027 is open to middle and high school students nationwide, with the goal of identifying and nurturing those with abilities in mathematics, computer science, programming and AI.

The VAIO 2027 National Qualifying Round is scheduled for October 18, 2026, at multiple locations across the country.

The National Final is expected to take place in Hanoi on January 10, 2027, selecting the strongest students to form Vietnam's national team for IAIO 2027.

A focus beyond medals

Speaking at the launch ceremony on July 17, Nguyen Quyet Chien, General Secretary of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, or VUSTA, said VAIO 2027 was not focused solely on competition results but also aimed to create lasting educational value.

Each problem is designed to encourage students to develop computational thinking, independent learning skills and a spirit of collaboration. These capabilities can help guide them toward careers in key fields such as data, automation and AI.

The organization of VAIO 2027 and Vietnam's hosting of IAIO 2027 come as the country steps up the implementation of the Politburo's Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation.

"Identifying, nurturing and developing high-quality human resources, particularly young people with capabilities in digital technology and AI, is a task of great importance to the country's future development," Chien said.

"The competition's most important goal is not simply to win medals, but to inspire a passion for science and foster innovative thinking, a sense of responsibility and a desire among young people to contribute to development," he added.

To successfully organize this large series of events, the Organizing Committee is coordinating closely with relevant ministries, agencies and other bodies.

It is also calling on schools, experts and technology companies to support contestants by providing advice, training and practical learning environments.

Technical information, competition rules and official registration guidance will soon be published through the program's information channels.

Du Lam