Viet Nam is becoming an attractive destination for businesses in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors. The growing interest from the world's leading technology corporations as they continuously seek cooperation and investment opportunities shows the strong development potential of the industry. In particular, Da Nang - with the aspiration to become the leading innovation hub in the region - possesses a great advantage in attracting investment and training high-quality human resources for these two key technology fields.

Swinburne Viet Nam students in a Smart IT class taught by famous experts.

Core technology in the era of growth

The semiconductor and AI industries are closely linked, together promoting the development of technology. Semiconductor chips are the ‘brains’ that help AI process data while AI supports the design and optimization of new generations of chips. This resonance is opening up an era of explosive technology, with widespread applications from phones, computers to self-driving cars and smart healthcare.

At the 6th National Forum on Viet Nam Digital Technology Enterprises held in January 2025, the FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh made three commitments to the the Vietnamese Government to promote the high-tech industry, bringing Viet Nam into an era of growth.

One of the focuses is to invest heavily in ‘core technologies’ such as AI, semiconductors, automotive technology, digital transformation and green transformation. Mr. Binh especially emphasised that in the future, the world will depend on AI-integrated semiconductor chips, and Viet Nam aims to produce millions of these chips. This opens up great prospects for the AI and semiconductor industries in Viet Nam.

Da Nang - A bright spot in the high-tech race

The semiconductor and AI industries are booming globally, leading to a demand for high-quality human resources. In Viet Nam, Da Nang is gradually affirming its position as a strategic destination attracting international investors.

By the end of 2024, many large corporations in the field of semiconductor design such as Synopsys, Marvell, Renesas were present in Da Nang, while Nvidia, Intel, Qualcomm, Mediatek are now studying investment opportunities and cooperation in human resource training. Thanks to this wave of investment, Da Nang is expected to become a high-tech centre attracting large corporations, engineers and leading experts in the industry.

Recently, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 on the organisation of urban government and piloting specific mechanisms and policies for the Da Nang development. Accordingly, strategic investors and individuals working in the fields of AI and semiconductors will enjoy many outstanding incentives, contributing to making the city a leading centre for innovation.

Currently, Da Nang houses a number of universities training in AI and microcircuit and semiconductor chip design. However, limitations in equipment and supporting ecosystems cause a big challenge in meeting international standards. Cooperating with the world’s leading universities is an important solution, helping Vietnamese students access advanced programmes right in the country, while opening up job opportunities in the global market.

Swinburne Viet Nam - a joint programme between Swinburne University of Technology in Australia (in the top 1% leading universities worldwide according to QS) and the FPT University currently training in AI and plans to open a Semiconductor Technology major in 2025.

Students studying at Swinburne Viet Nam can study at the Da Nang campus according to the Australian standard programme, with a team of internationally qualified lecturers. In particular, students can easily access many job opportunities in the high-tech industry in Australia.

According to Dr. Hoang Viet Ha, the Director of Swinburne Viet Nam, the training program at Swinburne aims to develop high-quality human resources for the fields of AI and semiconductors. With thorough preparation, Viet Nam is gradually affirming its position in the global high-tech supply chain.

Reporting by HANH LAM - Translating by A.THU