Vietnam partners with G42 to build national AI and cloud infrastructure

Executives from G42, FPT Corporation, and Viet Thai Group at the signing ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City, marking the launch of Vietnam’s national AI and cloud infrastructure initiative. [Courtesy]

Vietnam and an Abu Dhabi–based technology group have agreed to build a national artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing (cloud) infrastructure that backers say will help the country become a leading technology hub in Southeast Asia.

Abu Dhabi’s G42, a technology holding group, signed a framework cooperation agreement with a Vietnamese consortium that includes FPT Corporation (FPT) and Viet Thai Group on Monday to develop sovereign AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure across Vietnam.

The deal, signed in Ho Chi Minh City, includes usage commitments valued at up to USD 1 billion.

Under the pact, the consortium and G42 will deploy large‑scale cloud services across three data centre sites to support computing needs for government and private organisations.

Ali Al Ameen, chief commercial officer of G42 International, said the framework represents a new model for national AI transformation.

“This framework agreement represents a new model for national AI transformation — one built on sovereignty, partnership and purpose,” said Al Ameen.

Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT, noted that Vietnam cannot advance alone in key tech fields, including AI and cloud.

“Leaders have demonstrated strong commitment and established mutual trust, and the time has now come to translate these commitments into practical implementation on the ground,” said Binh.

David Thai, chairman and chief executive officer of Viet Thai Group, observed that the initiative will position Vietnam at the forefront of AI‑driven economic development in Asia.

 “The partnership with G42 and FPT establishes the structural foundation necessary to achieve long‑term growth and drive innovation across multiple sectors,” noted Thai.

The agreement also calls for support of national programmes to build AI skills and encourage AI adoption across government, industry and academic institutions.

Officials said the next phase involves finalising how workloads will be split between public and private sectors, completing regulatory procedures and beginning data centre construction.

FPT, Vietnam’s largest information technology services company with operations in more than 30 countries, will provide technical expertise and local market knowledge.

Viet Thai Group will offer strategic insight across sectors, including retail and logistics. G42 will bring advanced AI infrastructure capabilities.

Supporters say the initiative will help strengthen national data sovereignty (data sovereignty) and digital resilience, and boost Vietnam’s role as a technology hub in Southeast Asia.