The initiative, spearheaded by the Au Lac AI Alliance in collaboration with tech giant FPT and other strategic partners, seeks to spotlight responsible, impactful, and scalable AI innovations that align with ethical principles and serve Vietnam’s broader goals of technological sovereignty.

In addition to the substantial cash award, the winning project will benefit from mentorship, strategic consulting, and international market access facilitated by the alliance’s network of partners.

According to the organizing committee, the Au Lac Grand Prize will evaluate entries based on a clear framework that considers real-world impact, innovation, scalability, sustainability, and ethical compliance.

The competition is open to all Vietnamese citizens, regardless of age, profession, or place of residence. The only requirement is that the submitted AI product or solution must be legally recognized intellectual property that is developed, owned, and operated by a Vietnamese entity or individual under applicable laws.

The online registration portal is expected to open in March, with applications accepted through July. Following preliminary and final rounds, the award ceremony will take place in November.

AI sovereignty: Vietnam’s next technological frontier

Speaking at the launch event on January 12, Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Au Lac AI Alliance and Chairman of FPT Corporation, emphasized Vietnam’s urgent need for AI sovereignty - a feat currently achieved only by major world powers.

“We hope the Au Lac Grand Prize will inspire the Vietnamese tech community to embrace responsible AI development,” Binh said. “More importantly, we want to ignite a spirit of innovation and self-reliance that allows us to solve critical national challenges and position Vietnam alongside the world’s most advanced nations.”

Binh also shared plans to invite internationally renowned AI experts such as Yann LeCun, Yoshua Bengio, and Andrew Ng to participate in the prize’s evaluation process, enhancing the global credibility and rigor of the award.

Transparent judging, inclusive impact

Nguyen Van Khoa, CEO of FPT and Chairman of the Preliminary Judging Panel, outlined four guiding principles for the evaluation process: transparency, conflict-free participation (excluding FPT employees and judging panel members), multi-stakeholder input from academia and industry, and independent verification.

Addressing concerns about the disparity in resources between large corporations and small startups, Khoa cited global success stories like Facebook, Uber, and Grab - each of which began with small, specific ideas that later scaled to global influence.

“Size doesn’t matter. The core of this award is the solution’s ability to create real societal impact,” he noted. “With the right idea, even small teams can shape the world.”

Empowering Vietnamese startups on the global stage

Representing the startup community, Duong Thi Hong Nhung, CEO of N2TP, spoke candidly about the challenges startups face when trying to build core technology for the global supply chain.

She praised the Au Lac Grand Prize for offering not only validation but also strategic guidance and professional evaluation - essential elements for navigating the complex path from innovation to market success.

“This award opens a door that many startups struggle to find,” Nhung said. “With support from experts and a global platform, we can move in the right direction and make meaningful contributions to the world.”

Du Lam