'AI applications need to be fast, safe and create value'

At the opening session of the VAIC 2026 competition, Mr. Do Quang Vinh, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy General Director of SHB, brought a real-life perspective on the digital transformation journey of the financial industry. According to him, AI is not simply a story of technology investment and procurement, but also a problem about people, innovation culture, collaborative capacity and the ability to realize ideas.

"If in the past, businesses often asked what AI can do, today the question is how to apply AI faster, safer, more effective and create more value," Mr. Do Quang Vinh emphasized.

The views of SHB representatives are assessed to accurately reflect the current banking industry context. AI has passed the testing phase, becoming a core competency in all stages of operations, from process automation, data processing to personalizing customer experience. Today's users easily conduct complex financial transactions on mobile devices thanks to AI systems that continuously analyze behavior.

However, the expansion of technology scale also entails increased information security risks. This reality requires the financial industry to quickly build a "responsible AI" ecosystem. Experts believe that every innovative solution, no matter how superior its performance, must rest on the foundation of transparency, safety and respect for user trust.

This practical approach is clearly shown in SHB's development orientation. The bank is implementing a comprehensive transformation strategy, using technology as the driving force for growth through the "5 First" strategy. In addition to the goal of "Data + AI First" to exploit the power of data to optimize operations and develop new business models, SHB also places "Security First" as a pillar throughout.

The unit determines that technological innovation activities only create sustainable value when associated with a solid information security and risk management foundation. This approach adheres to the spirit of bringing technology to serve the masses, focusing on solving practical problems such as automating risk management or increasing transaction speed instead of building models that only exist on paper.

To solve the balance problem between innovation and security, financial institutions are proactively acting as intermediaries. At VAIC 2026, banks directly bring operational topics to the technology playground to seek real-world solutions from the young developer community.

This cooperation model is continuing to expand into a series of long-term activities through seminars at universities, combining with major technology partners such as Huawei, Viettel, FPT, and CMC to create a practical testing environment. The contest organizers said that this step helps the market build high-quality AI human resources, promoting the digital economy to develop in the right direction according to national innovation goals. "The connection between businesses and the technology community will create a solid launching pad, bringing Vietnam's AI solutions gradually closer to international standards," the organizers said.

VAIC 2026 is an AI-intensive hackathon, within the framework of the Vietnam Innovation Challenge Program. The final round of the competition takes place from July 17 to 19 in Hanoi. The program is organized by the National Innovation Center (NIC) in collaboration with Meta Group, AI for Vietnam Foundation, FPT Group and Duy Tan University, with SHB Bank acting as Diamond Sponsor.

During 48 hours of continuous competition, the event attracted nearly 2,500 contestants with more than 300 teams from 12 countries to build AI products for real combat applications. By connecting a global network of experts and creating a practical testing environment, VAIC 2026 serves as a launching pad to cultivate a force of high-quality "AI Builders", contributing to realizing the goal of making Vietnam a regional AI innovation center.