VNG's new growth platform

"In the face of the AI ​​wave, we don't wait - we act. Our perspective is clear: don't just talk, do. Start with small projects, deploy quickly in many areas, continuously adapt but always put user value as the top priority. It is difficult to demonstrate immediate financial efficiency with breakthrough technology like AI. But I believe that when AI costs increase but bring truly useful features to end users, that is the measure of efficiency, and at the same time transforms into long-term value for the business", Mr. Le Hong Minh, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of VNG.

Since the beginning of 2023, VNG has recognized the breakthrough potential of the artificial intelligence wave and quickly implemented a strong AI-First strategy, which was reaffirmed at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in June 2024. With the philosophy of "Do it and you will know", we have started to implement instead of just stopping at theoretical research in the vast ocean of technology. Since mid-2023, VNG has made a decision to invest comprehensively in all areas related to AI.

It can be said that VNG's AI strategy revolves around the mindset of "Just do it and you will know". In fact, our AI journey began in 2017, when Zalo began to explore AI through pioneering projects such as Kiki Auto. However, it was not until 2023 that we truly realized the breakthrough power of AI and determined to pursue the AI-First Strategy in the middle of the year—this vision was later reaffirmed at the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. We do not follow trends. The core of the AI-First Strategy is to integrate AI into the entire VNG ecosystem, focusing resources on all three core layers: infrastructure, platform and application.

Pioneering AI Infrastructure

Launched in 2023, GreenNode can be considered the backbone of VNG's infrastructure layer. In June 2024, this AI Cloud specialist launched one of the first large-scale AI Cloud infrastructures in Southeast Asia in Bangkok, Thailand. GreenNode has demonstrated its unprecedented capacity and commercialization speed in the market, completing the project in less than six months and quickly recording tens of millions of USD in revenue in 2024. The strategic partnership with NVIDIA from the end of 2023 ensures GreenNode priority access to advanced chipsets and NVIDIA-compatible technology, helping GreenNode meet the strict requirements of global customers.

Comprehensive AI Platform

At the foundation level, VNG is testing two parallel directions: KiLM is the leading large-scale language model (“build from scratch”) in Vietnam today, developed by the Zalo AI team. Meanwhile, GreenNode provides a comprehensive AI solution ecosystem based on refining open source models, helping small and medium-sized enterprises easily apply AI to their business operations. A clear demonstration is the Stable Diffusion model integrated on VNGGames’ Artian platform, which helps reduce 50-70% of design workload and triple performance in many tasks.

GreenNode's Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) solution has been successfully deployed at 12 banks and financial institutions, delivering impressive results: 70% reduction in data errors, 1/3 reduction in processing time, saving more than 2,000 working days and billions of VND in costs each year.

TrueID - the only comprehensive electronic identification solution integrating eKYC, video KYC, biometric authentication and NFC - meets the most stringent security and AI standards in Vietnam, and has been integrated into the systems of more than 40 banks via SDK/API.

Bringing AI into Everyday Life

At the application level, Zalo is leading the "Make-in-Vietnam" AI wave, turning AI into a daily companion for tens of millions of users. With 4 specialized R&D labs, Zalo has achieved complete autonomy in AI research and deployment, not depending on foreign solutions. More than 20% of Zalo users have now experienced AI features integrated into the application, from text-to-speech, voice recognition and conversion to text, voice messages to real-time translation, and we aim to double this number by 2025.

From VNGGames, Zalopay to Digital Business, every unit is aggressively testing AI, prioritizing user value over short-term benefits. Every VNG employee is encouraged to apply AI in their work, in line with the “AI-First” spirit.

Driving force for sustainable development

From game creation and marketing at VNGGames to personalized experiences at Zalo, AI is reshaping the way we connect and serve users. At the same time, AI at Zalopay and Digital Business is driving financial inclusion and digital transformation of businesses—more than 40 banks and thousands of companies are benefiting from our AI solutions. "VNG will become an AI-First company within the next 5 years," Founder Le Hong Minh has set an ambitious goal for VNG. By strategically integrating AI, we are not only adapting—we are also helping shape the future.
AI hybrid in Vietnam, just like it successfully "caught the wave" of PC and mobile before.

This approach is VNG's commitment to a future where technology and sustainable development go hand in hand, meeting global needs while still maintaining Vietnamese identity.

This is a series of excerpts from the 2024 Annual Report. See the full article here.

Source: https://www.vng.com.vn/news/enterprise/chien-luoc-ai-first-nen-tang-tang-truong-moi-cua-vng.html