Vietnam Aims to Train 10,000 AI Experts by 2030

Vietnam has set an ambitious national target to train at least 10,000 highly skilled artificial intelligence professionals by 2030, including 1,500 specialists focused on core AI technologies. The plan forms part of a broader push to build a capable domestic workforce that can support strategic technology sectors and strengthen the country’s technological self-reliance.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau signed the National Programme for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Human Resources, according to a government announcement. The programme seeks to develop an AI workforce with the necessary scale, structure and quality to drive growth in priority technology areas and reduce long-term dependence on external expertise.

Under the 2030 goals, the ability to use and apply AI is expected to become an essential competency for learners, workers, and management and administrative staff across Vietnam. The strategy reaches far beyond elite technical training. It aims to embed basic AI knowledge and skills throughout the education system and public sector so that AI literacy becomes widespread rather than confined to specialist roles.

At the school level, at least 80 percent of high school and pre-university students are to receive age-appropriate basic AI knowledge and skills. In higher education, the target rises to 100 percent of students. This universal approach is intended to ensure that future graduates across all disciplines enter the workforce with foundational understanding of AI tools and concepts.

The public sector faces equally clear targets. At least 90 percent of officials, civil servants and employees in public service units are expected to complete training or update their knowledge and skills in AI. The requirement is even higher for the education and training sector, where the goal is 100 percent coverage. Separately, at least 100,000 teachers, lecturers and education administrators will receive in-depth AI training so they can effectively teach and guide students.

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These measures reflect a recognition that AI is no longer a niche technical field but a general-purpose technology that will affect nearly every occupation. By equipping large numbers of teachers and civil servants, Vietnam aims to create a multiplier effect: educators will pass knowledge to successive cohorts of students, while public officials will be better prepared to design and implement AI-related policies and services.

The focus on 1,500 professionals specialised in core technologies signals an intention to build deeper research and development capacity alongside broader digital literacy. Core AI technologies typically include machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision and related foundational areas. Developing domestic expertise in these domains is seen as critical for long-term innovation and for reducing reliance on foreign platforms and talent.

The programme aligns with Vietnam’s wider economic and technological ambitions. As the country continues to attract manufacturing and technology investment, the availability of skilled AI talent is increasingly viewed as a competitive advantage. Governments across the region have introduced similar workforce strategies, recognising that human capital will determine how effectively nations can capture the economic and social benefits of artificial intelligence.

Implementation will require coordinated action across ministries, universities, research institutes and the private sector. Curriculum updates, teacher training programmes, industry partnerships and possibly new specialised AI institutes or centres of excellence are likely to form part of the delivery mechanism. The government has not yet released detailed funding figures or year-by-year milestones in the initial announcement, but the 2030 horizon provides a clear medium-term framework.

Success will depend on both quantity and quality. Training 10,000 professionals is a significant numerical target, yet the real test will be whether those individuals can apply their skills in research, product development, public services and industry. Equally important will be the quality of the basic AI education delivered to hundreds of thousands of school and university students. Superficial exposure will not produce meaningful competence; sustained, well-designed learning pathways will be essential.

The decision to prioritise teachers and education administrators is particularly strategic. Without a large cohort of AI-literate educators, it will be difficult to scale quality instruction across the national school and university systems. In-depth training for 100,000 education professionals is therefore a foundational investment rather than a secondary goal.

Vietnam’s approach also acknowledges the dual nature of AI adoption. On one hand, the country needs elite specialists who can advance core technologies and innovate. On the other, it needs a broad base of workers and officials who can use AI tools productively and responsibly. The national programme attempts to address both needs simultaneously.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape economies worldwide, countries that invest early and systematically in human capital are better positioned to shape the technology rather than simply consume it. Vietnam’s National Programme for the Development of Artificial Intelligence Human Resources represents a clear statement of intent: the nation intends to build the domestic talent base required to participate meaningfully in the AI era.

Further details on implementation timelines, budget allocations, curriculum standards and partnership models are expected in coming months as ministries translate the high-level programme into operational plans. For now, the signed decision sets a measurable national target and a comprehensive vision that reaches from elite technical training to classroom-level digital literacy.

The initiative places Vietnam among the growing number of nations treating AI workforce development as a strategic national priority rather than a purely market-driven process. Whether the ambitious 2030 targets are fully met will depend on consistent policy support, effective coordination and sustained investment in both people and institutions.