What Potential Does This Central Province Hold That Led to FPT’s Investment of Over 4.3 Trillion VND in Its AI Center?

FPT Quy Nhon Joint Stock Company, in collaboration with the provincial People’s Committee, has recently organized a groundbreaking ceremony for the AI Center – Auxiliary City project in Binh Dinh. The project has a scale of over 93.2 hectares and a total investment of VND 4,362 billion, developed by FPT Quy Nhon Joint Stock Company with the participation of three units: FPT Danang Urban Joint Stock Company, FPT Investment Joint Stock Company, and FPT Software Company Limited. The project consists of three main functional subdivisions: AI Center, education and training area, and auxiliary urban area.

The AI Center will focus on research, training, software production, digital transformation support, and providing solutions in cybersecurity, social security, and AI to serve humans, improve productivity, quality, and enhance service value. The auxiliary urban area will provide essential amenities catering to the unique needs of an AI city, attracting high-quality human resources to Binh Dinh, especially in the fields of high technology, new technology, and AI.

Binh Dinh, located in the South Central Coastal region of Vietnam, is part of the key economic region of the Central region. It covers an area of 6,071.3 km2 and comprises eight districts, two towns, and Quy Nhon city. Strategically positioned, the province serves as a gateway to the East Sea for the Central Highlands, southern Laos, northeastern Cambodia, and Thailand, offering a favorable transportation system.

According to the Provincial Statistics Office, Binh Dinh’s economy experienced an average growth rate of 6.4% in GRDP during the 2016-2020 period. The province’s economic scale, reflected in the Local Gross Product (at current prices), has been expanding, reaching VND 55,957.9 billion in 2015 and an estimated VND 88,389 billion in 2020. The GRDP scale at current prices in 2020 was 1.58 times higher than five years ago.

In 2023 alone, Binh Dinh achieved 18 out of 19 key socio-economic development targets, with a GRDP growth rate of 7.61%, surpassing the target set by the Provincial People’s Council (7-7.5%). The province ranked 17th out of 63 provinces nationwide, 6th out of 14 provinces in the North-Central and Central Coastal regions, and 1st out of 5 provinces in the key economic region of the Central region.

The province’s economic scale reached VND 117,668.8 billion, doubling that of 2015. It ranked 24th out of 63 provinces nationwide, 5th out of 14 provinces in the North-Central and Central Coastal regions, and 3rd out of 5 provinces in the key economic region of the Central region.

Binh Dinh’s Determination in the New Wave of Technology Development

Speaking at the event, Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Vice Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, shared that the FPT AI Center project marks a turning point in the province’s socio-economic development and showcases the province’s determination to embrace and apply scientific and technological achievements in practice, in line with the orientation of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 52 dated September 27, 2019.

“The construction of this Center demonstrates Binh Dinh province’s determination to actively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in alignment with the orientations of Resolution No. 52, contributing to the rapid enhancement of the province’s scientific and technological potential, especially in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things, and Big Data,” said Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, Vice Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee.

Since the 18th term of the Provincial Party Committee for the 2010-2015 period, Binh Dinh has recognized the development of science and technology as a breakthrough for the locality. During the 20th term of the Provincial Party Committee for the 2020-2025 period, in implementing Resolution No. 52 dated September 27, 2019, of the Politburo on actively participating in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Provincial Party Committee issued a separate Action Program on developing science and technology.

The program sets out the goal of developing science and technology and innovation as a driving force for socio-economic development and sustainability. It aims to make Binh Dinh a destination for technology enterprises and scientists from around the world and within the country. The development of the Quy Hoa Science Urban Area, with the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education as its core, and the establishment of the AI Center – Auxiliary City in Quy Nhon city, are key components of this vision.

According to the Provincial Plan for Implementing the National Strategy for the Development of Digital Economy and Digital Society until 2025, Binh Dinh aims for the digital economy to contribute 10% to GRDP by 2025. The digital economy’s proportion in each industry and field should reach a minimum of 10%. Annual labor productivity is targeted to increase by at least 7%, and the rate of enterprises using electronic contracts is expected to exceed 80%.