On January 21, at the sidelines of the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland, Ho Chi Minh City and CMC Corporation announced an ambitious initiative to establish the world’s first AI-powered city.

The initiative, presented during the forum “AI.X for the Era of Artificial Intelligence” co-hosted by Vietnam's Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) and CMC, has attracted significant global attention.

Attendees included representatives from major organizations such as Google, SAP, KPMG, and the European Chamber of Commerce, as well as renowned experts like Dr. Joerg Bienert, President of the German AI Association, and Dr. Philipp Rösler, former Vice Chancellor of Germany and Honorary Consul General of Vietnam in Switzerland.

Dr. Rösler, newly appointed as Honorary Director of C4IR Vietnam, committed to strengthening connections between Ho Chi Minh City and international stakeholders to foster collaboration, investment, and advanced technology transfers.

Pioneering the AI-powered city

Vo Van Hoan, Deputy Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, emphasized that the city’s over-a-decade-long focus on AI research and development, combined with the robust C.OpenAI ecosystem developed by CMC, positions the city to lead globally in applying AI to urban management.

“This collaboration is a significant step toward sustainable development, transforming Ho Chi Minh City into a model for modern urban governance,” Hoan remarked.

Nguyen Trung Chinh, Chairman of CMC Corporation, described AI.X as “not just a technological initiative, but a key to shaping an intelligent era where technology serves humanity and fosters sustainable global growth.”

CMC plans to leverage this initiative to bolster Vietnam’s standing in AI innovation and expand partnerships with global stakeholders.

The AI.X strategy builds on C.OpenAI, an ecosystem that CMC has developed over the past decade with an investment exceeding VND 1 trillion (approximately USD 42 million).

Key components of C.OpenAI include cutting-edge cloud computing infrastructure, advanced data centers, and 25 core technologies developed under the "Make in Vietnam" initiative. These technologies range from large language models (LLMs) to computer vision, speech processing, and data lakehouse solutions.

CMC has also committed an additional USD 200 million by 2030 to maintain its leadership in cloud and AI technologies, with a goal to expand globally by the same year.

Launched in September 2024, C4IR Vietnam is the 19th center in the WEF network, operating as a public-private partnership in Thu Duc City’s High-Tech Park. The center leads the effort to transform Ho Chi Minh City into an AI city by 2030, aligning with the city’s vision to become a global hub for artificial intelligence and digital innovation.

The Vinh