FPT & Mila partnership renewed to advance AI in SE Asia
FPT, a prominent Vietnam-based IT service provider, has extended its strategic partnership with Mila, a renowned Canadian artificial intelligence (AI) research institute, for an additional three years.
The collaboration between FPT and Mila aims to push the boundaries of AI capabilities through the exploration of projects involving large language models (LLMs) and natural language processing (NLP), while upholding responsible AI practices.
With a shared vision of fostering sustainable growth, human development, and social progress, FPT and Mila strive to build an AI ecosystem that brings positive impacts to enterprises and society.
Advancing AI capabilities
Since its inception in June 2020, the partnership between FPT and Mila has yielded fruitful results in various AI research areas, including causality, language models and voice coding.
By collaborating in core research areas such as healthcare, environment, climate change, and AI ethics, the alliance aims to deliver meaningful outcomes that benefit both enterprises and society.
Dr. Phong Nguyen, FPT Software's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, expressed pride in being Mila's first partner in Southeast Asia, highlighting the positive contributions their collaboration brings to the growth of Vietnam as a world-class AI hub.
Guidelines, best practices and ethical standards
FPT and Mila recognise the importance of establishing guidelines, best practices and ethical standards for the responsible and ethical use of AI applications.
Together, they will work towards developing frameworks that promote the ethical deployment of AI technologies.
This commitment ensures that the potential of AI is harnessed in a manner that prioritises human well-being and societal progress.
Building Vietnam's AI research hub
Through their ongoing partnership, FPT and Mila have played a crucial role in the establishment of Vietnam's first AI research hub.
Mila has invested over US$85m to support the development of the research and development (R&D) complex, as well as a state-of-the-art learning facility.
This significant investment underscores Mila's commitment to nurturing talent and driving innovation in Vietnam.
The construction of the first phase of the hub is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2023, further solidifying Vietnam's position as a thriving AI hub in the region.
Continued collaboration and international impact
The recently renewed partnership between FPT and Mila was formally announced at the Canada-Vietnam AI summit in Montreal, signifying the continued commitment to collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Yoshua Bengio, the founder and scientific director of Mila, expressed his satisfaction with the progress achieved over the past three years of collaboration with FPT, highlighting FPT's instrumental role in the realisation of numerous projects.
The alliance between FPT and Mila is an exemplary model of Mila's international impact, extending the frontiers of AI advancements in Asia.
The extended partnership between FPT and Mila reinforces their shared commitment to advancing AI capabilities, fostering sustainable growth and promoting responsible AI practices.
With a focus on large language models (LLMs) and natural language processing (NLP), FPT and Mila aim to deliver positive impacts on enterprises and society through their collaborative research endeavours.
By building an AI ecosystem in Southeast Asia, this partnership contributes to the growth of Vietnam as a world-class AI hub and sets a precedent for international cooperation in driving AI advancements.