Ho Chi Minh City: Taking science as the cornerstone.

By placing science, technology, and innovation at the center of its development model, Ho Chi Minh City is strongly shifting from mindset to action. From warnings and recommendations from experts to licensing AI virtual assistants for the public sector, the city is gradually shaping a governance system based on knowledge and technology.

For many years, Ho Chi Minh City has been the economic engine of the country, making a significant contribution to growth and the national budget. However, signs of stagnation in the traditional development model – heavily reliant on capital, labor, and spatial expansion – are creating an urgent need to find a new driving force. In this context, science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation are identified as pillars for the city's next phase of development.

At a recent seminar titled "Transforming Ho Chi Minh City's Development Model to a Science , Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation-Based Model," organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, many opinions suggested that the city cannot continue to grow in the old way if it wants to maintain its leading role and move towards sustainable development. Instead, a new model is needed, in which knowledge, technology, and data become key resources.

Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Lam Dinh Thang, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, emphasized that science, technology, and innovation must be viewed as the core foundation of development, not just a supporting field. According to Mr. Thang, the city needs to shift strongly towards a growth model based on productivity, quality, and knowledge content, linking science and technology with key sectors of the socio-economic landscape.

Experts also point out that Ho Chi Minh City has a great advantage in its science and technology ecosystem, high-quality human resources, and ability to quickly access new technological trends. However, that advantage can only be fully realized when the city has appropriate mechanisms to ensure that science, technology, and innovation truly integrate into management, production, and public service delivery.

Beyond strategic discussions, Ho Chi Minh City is gradually concretizing its orientation of "making science the cornerstone" through concrete actions. One notable step is the plan to license artificial intelligence (AI) virtual assistants to the public sector starting in 2026, aiming to improve management efficiency, reform administration, and promote the development of a digital government.

According to the plan of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, the licensing of AI virtual assistants marks a transition from the testing and familiarization phase to the official and controlled application of AI in the operations of state agencies. In the initial phase, AI virtual assistant tools will be used to support document drafting, information aggregation, document analysis, and professional content retrieval.

These tools are not only intended to serve internal government agencies, but are also expected to help citizens access information about administrative procedures and legal documents more conveniently and easily. Through this, science and technology will not only improve the productivity of officials and civil servants, but also contribute to improving the quality of public services.

In the next phase, based on an assessment of the implementation effectiveness, Ho Chi Minh City plans to expand the scope of AI application in many aspects of administrative activities, from report generation and business content analysis to communication and policy dissemination. The use of AI is accompanied by the requirement to develop strict management regulations, ensuring information security and confidentiality, and affirming human responsibility in the work process.

According to a representative from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, the application of AI virtual assistants is not intended to replace humans, but rather as a tool to support the reduction of repetitive tasks, improve management efficiency, and enhance the quality of operations. This is considered one of the concrete steps to realize the goal of building a digital government, with citizens and businesses at the center of service.

It is evident that Ho Chi Minh City is gradually making science and technology the cornerstone of its new development model. The idea of ​​"making science the cornerstone" is not just a slogan, but is gradually being demonstrated through policies, tools, and management methods, creating a foundation for the city's sustainable development in the coming period.

Kim Hue

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-lay-khoa-hoc-lam-tru-cot.html