On August 12, 250 businesses, cooperatives and business households participated in a practical AI training course, immediately after the launch ceremony of the project "MSMEs Vietnam breaks through with Artificial Intelligence AI".
The program is jointly implemented by Kenan Foundation Asia, ASEAN Foundation and the University of Information Technology and Communications - Thai Nguyen University (ICTU).
Currently, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for more than 97% of enterprises in Vietnam, but most are small in scale, have limited resources and face difficulties in investing in technology. As AI is increasingly being used in management, sales, customer care, data analysis and production, the digital capacity gap is at risk of becoming a new disadvantage for this group of enterprises.
In that context, the project aims to help 18,700 MSMEs access training programs and support AI application suitable to practical needs. Thereby, not only disseminating knowledge but also helping businesses find specific jobs that can use AI to save time, reduce costs or increase efficiency.
Ms. Eci Ernawati, AIM ASEAN Project Manager of ASEAN Foundation, shared that supporting 18,700 MSMEs in Vietnam is part of the larger goal of the program to help 100,000 MSMEs across ASEAN access knowledge and skills to apply AI.
Vietnam has also issued the National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence to 2030 and the National Digital Transformation Program, in which improving technology capacity for businesses is an important task.
However, for small businesses, accessing AI is only the first step. The bigger challenge is to determine which technology can solve the problem, who has enough capacity to operate and how the effectiveness after application is measured.
Therefore, the effectiveness of AI training programs should not only be calculated by the number of participating businesses, but more importantly, how many businesses can put AI into a specific job and create real-world efficiency after training," Ms. Ernawati added.
Mr. Hoang Van Thien - Director of Thai Nguyen Department of Science and Technology said that the current challenge is no longer whether businesses know about AI or not, but understanding correctly, choosing correctly and applying technology to the right jobs. This is also the gap that small businesses are facing.
According to Mr. Thien, businesses do not necessarily have to start with big problems, but can start with specific, practical and measurable tasks, and then gradually expand when businesses have enough experience and capacity.
From a training perspective, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phung Trung Nghia, Rector of the University of Information Technology and Communications - Thai Nguyen University, said that the important question today is "how to use AI to truly create value".
According to Mr. Nghia, large enterprises often have an advantage in accessing new technologies thanks to financial resources, technology and human resources. Meanwhile, with MSMEs, cooperatives and business households, the gap from knowing AI, using AI to applying AI effectively in production and business operations is still quite large. This is also the reason why AI training programs for MSMEs need to follow a direction that is easy to access, practical and can be applied immediately instead of just stopping at disseminating technology knowledge.
