2024/08/02 | Written by: Sungmin Park

Connecting with Vietnam's AI Potential: Education and Beyond

Last June, we had the opportunity to dive into Vietnam's AI scene and meet developers and business leaders from various IT companies. "ChatGPT Up for Everyone!" served as a foundation for our expansion into the Vietnamese market - a great opportunity to develop inroads into other businesses and expand LLM ecosystem in APAC, engaging with the tech community and business forums in Vietnam.

Our team attended DEVDAY, an event focusing on technology trends and connecting with developers. We also participated in Hekate Academy’s AI Summer Camp and Korea-Vietnam ICT Business Forum to establish connections and learn about the market response to our Solar LLM.

To learn more about our efforts in taking new steps forwards global expansion, check out our event recap and interview with CEOs and founders of various AI companies in Vietnam, where we grasped a sense of the market response to our Solar LLM.

Interview insights from Vietnam AI Innovators

(From the Left) Hai Nguyen, Co-founder & CEO at AvocaAI- Teach & Learn AI / Sử Minh Thành, Co-leader at GDG Cloud Da Nang, Founder at SCRIBE.CHEAP / Quyen Nguyen, Operations Lead at the AI consulting company Hekate

Q: It's a pleasure to meet you. Could you introduce yourselves?

• Hai Nguyen: Hi, I'm Hai Nguyen, Founder &CEO at Avocaedu.com - an online learning in AI platform. I have more than 15 years of experience in startups, and used to be a former senior manager at Shopee, co-founder & COO at Selly, the leading social commerce platform in Vietnam.
  
  

  
  

• Sử Minh Thành: Hi, I'm Sử Minh Thành, a co-leader at GDG Cloud Da Nang, and the founder of SCRIBE.CHEAP. I have a strong background in cloud computing and AI, and I'm passionate about using technology to spark innovation and solve real-world challenges. I love engaging with the tech community, sharing knowledge, and fostering collaborations to create solutions that make a real impact.
  
  

  
  

• Quyen Nguyen: Hi, I'm Quyen Nguyen. As the Operations Lead at Hekate, I oversee the coordination and execution of various AI projects. Recently I coordinated a project called “VIVID”, which uses computer vision to detect harmful campaigns on social media, and a chatbot initiative with Coca-Cola Beverage Vietnam.
  
  
  

Q. Could you tell us about your experience in Da Nang with Upstage?
- Based on your introduction to Upstage's Solar Mini, what impressed you the most?

• Hai Nguyen: We are impressed that your fine-tuning can beat GPT4!
  
  

• Sử Minh Thành: My experience in Da Nang with Upstage was truly enlightening. The opportunity to engage with the Upstage team and learn about their advancements in AI, particularly the Solar LLM, was both inspiring and educational. Our discussions were enriching, and it was fascinating to see the potential applications of Upstage's technologies.

  What impressed me the most about Upstage's Solar Mini is its versatility, affordability, speed, and robustness. The seamless integration of various AI components is remarkable. The ability to customize and adapt the LLM for specific needs and industries demonstrates its potential to drive innovation and efficiency across different sectors.
  
  
  

  
  

• Quyen Nguyen: Our time in Da Nang with Upstage was both productive and inspiring. Solar Mini's capabilities and potential were truly impressive. The model excels in a wide range of tasks, from OCR, RAG to solving mathematics. Its ability to deliver accurate and relevant outputs across different use cases highlights its robustness and reliability. Additionally, the user-friendly interface ensures that businesses of all sizes and technical expertise levels can easily integrate and benefit from this advanced AI technology.

In our previous projects, we've seen Upstage's dedication to creating user-friendly AI solutions, which has not only increased our trust in them but also solidified their reputation as leaders in the field. Our time in Da Nang with Upstage was both productive and inspiring. The Solar Mini's capabilities and potential were truly impressive. The model excels in a wide range of tasks, from OCR, RAG to solving mathematics. Its ability to deliver accurate and relevant outputs across different use cases highlights its robustness and reliability. Furthermore, the user-friendly interface ensures that businesses of all sizes and technical expertise levels can easily integrate and benefit from this advanced AI technology.

Q. How would you introduce Upstage to Da Nang locals and international users?

• Hai Nguyen: We would introduce Upstage as the greatest fine-tuning for LLM, which can even beat GPT-4. Everyone can try it out and participate in the AI Hackathon organized by Upstage this September.

  
  
  

• Sử Minh Thành: I would introduce Upstage to Da Nang locals and Vietnamese users as a pioneering AI company that is pushing the boundaries of what's possible with language models. Upstage's commitment to innovation and its user-friendly approach make it an excellent partner for businesses and individuals looking to leverage AI for their needs. Hosting workshops, webinars, and community events could be great ways to showcase Upstage's capabilities as well as engage with local and international communities.
  
  

  
  

• Quyen Nguyen: I believe that Upstage's Solar Mini can be a game-changer for Da Nang's local businesses with its scalable AI solutions. It can streamline operations and enhance customer service with AI-powered tools, making tasks easier and interactions smarter through intelligent chatbots. Upstage's user-friendly interfaces mean that even those without a tech background can benefit from these advanced tools. And to make sure everyone's ready for the future, Upstage can work with local universities and offer workshops to help people learn about AI. Moreover, Upstage's commitment to research and development ensures businesses have access to the latest AI advancements. Partnering with Upstage includes expert support for successful AI implementation and ongoing optimization.

Q. In the future, what problems would you like to solve and what kind of collaboration would you be interested in using Upstage LLM for?

• Hai Nguyen: We'd like to become the builder of SolarLLM in Vietnam to increase SolarLLM's awareness and help users utilize SolarLLM to build their own AI applications.
  
  

  
  

• Sử Minh Thành: In the future, I am particularly interested in exploring collaborations that involve using Upstage LLM for smart city initiatives, enhancing educational platforms and digital transformation of the tourism industry. Leveraging AI to develop intelligent systems that can not only solve urban challenges but also personalize learning experiences could significantly and positively impact society.
  
  

  
  

• Quyen Nguyen: Looking ahead, we see a lot of opportunities to work together with Upstage's LLM in many different areas. By incorporating their LLM into our AI Summer Camp and courses, we can give students a more hands-on and engaging learning experience, exposing them to the latest AI tools and technologies. This would not only deepen their understanding of AI technologies but also inspire innovation and creativity, preparing them for future careers in the rapidly evolving field of AI.
  
  

  
  In addition, we envision using Upstage's LLM to develop new AI products tailored to specific industry needs. This includes creating AI chatbots for customer service that can handle a wide range of inquiries with high accuracy and efficiency, thereby improving customer satisfaction and reducing operational costs. We also see potential in developing sophisticated OCR tools that can automate the extraction and processing of data from various document types, streamlining workflows and enhancing productivity. Furthermore, AI-driven content platforms can revolutionize content creation by generating high-quality, relevant content at scale, catering to diverse audience preferences and increasing engagement.
  
  

  
  We are also keen on exploring collaborative research initiatives with Upstage. Joint efforts could delve into new methodologies for enhancing language model performance, addressing challenges in AI ethics, and improving transparency in AI decision-making processes. This partnership would not only advance our product offerings but also contribute valuable insights to the broader AI community. By working together, we can push the boundaries of AI innovation, develop best practices for ethical AI deployment, and ensure that our advancements benefit society as a whole.

[ → Try Solar LLM for Free on our Console ]

Q. How can Upstage and Upstage LLM assist you?

• Hai Nguyen: Upstage has valuable resources that'll help us build a lively community in Vietnam. Furthermore, their courses are perfect for better understanding all the amazing services they offer.
  
  
  
  

• Sử Minh Thành: Upstage and its LLM can assist me by providing advanced AI solutions that can be integrated into various projects I'm involved in, particularly those related to smart cities and cloud technologies, as well as digital transformation of the tourism industry. Access to Upstage's expertise, tools, and credits would be invaluable in driving these projects forward and achieving our goals of innovation and efficiency. Additionally, with the support of Upstage LLM, our community could engage in various activities, enabling us to expand our outreach, host more educational events, and foster greater collaboration within the tech community. Conversely, I could help Upstage by promoting its solutions and assisting others in applying LLM to their products, thereby expanding Upstage's presence and impact.
  
  
  

• Quyen Nguyen: As someone really into AI, having access to Upstage's LLM would be super helpful for my learning and career growth. It could give me insights into the latest AI research, summarize complex technical papers, and provide personalized learning resources. This would help me stay on top of industry trends and improve my expertise.
  
  In my job as Operations Lead, I love how flexible Upstage LLM is. We can customize its features to fit our specific needs, whether it's for project management, resource optimization, or interacting with customers. This adaptability ensures that we can fully utilize the tool in our unique operational environment.
  
  
  

Stay tuned for our next steps!

Discussing the present and future of LLM with business professionals and developers in Vietnam was truly a priceless experience. Vietnam shows a strong determination to advance its AI market, and alongside a bustling developer community is the flurry of activity in nurturing AI/SW talent. We're super excited about the potential of Vietnam's AI market and hope our expanding LLM ecosystem can make a positive impact in the APAC region.

Recently, we hosted the "Global AI Week - AI Hackathon," bringing together global developers eager to transform the world with AI and LLM ideas. The energy and passion of the participants we met during the Online Hackathon Session was incredibly inspiring, and we looking forward to the final hackathon event in Jeju this September.

Beyond the global hackathons, Upstage is also expanding its educational initiatives and partnership opportunities abroad to help more people leverage Solar LLM and enhance their AI skills. We plan to host more vibrant global hackathons as well. Stay tuned for the journey of our vibrant LLM ecosystem and the global expansion of our powerful, purpose-trained Solar LLM!