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What and how specifically can AI affect Vietnam's biggest city?
Anh Kiet 17:37, 2019/09/25
AI is ultimately a tool that must serve humans, with three key elements emphasized to AI’s success for Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
There is no doubt that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution is already affecting the way most of people live, work, and play. Thus, what and how specifically can AI deliver results for a more prosperous and resilient future of HCMC - a Vietnam's southern city?

Those are the two issues World Bank Country Director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione mentioned at a conference on AI applications for HCMC on September 25.
 
World Bank Country Director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione
World Bank Country Director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione
The fundamental challenges that HCMC faces towards today are not new, Ousmane Dione said, adding that massive infrastructure needs, but significant fiscal constraints, mean that HCMC government needs to be smart about urban planning, including for land use, where to build new infrastructure, and ensure existing infrastructure delivers, whether for transport, health, education, water, waste management, IT, or flood risk.

Besides, HCMC is seeking to improve its public services and decision making, as well as attract private investment. Making HCMC a preferred destination of private investment, including for digital economy and innovation hub in the region, and even globally, means making the city attractive and livable for talent.  

It also means providing local innovative enterprises with access to business opportunities and data to solve real world problems.

AI can offer solutions to some of these challenges, given the right enabling environment. Companies and cities that are smart about AI will reap the rewards, Ousmane Dione stressed.  

He noted that AI mimics how the human brain works. The explosion of digital “big data”, exponential growth of computing power including from cloud platforms, and massive innovations and investment in AI methods and algorithms means that AI can serve to do certain things quite well.

Google Maps and Grab Taxi uses AI to find optimal traffic routes. Argentina’s biggest city, Buenos Aires, uses AI to target optimal maintenance of storm drains. 

New York uses AI to better target food and safety inspections. These are only three examples, and today you will learn about many of the rich and very practical use case in how AI is being used to address real world problems and opportunities. 

Global hubs as Shanghai, Singapore or Seoul have been mainstreaming AI into all aspects of their city’s DNA!

But AI is ultimately a tool that must serve humans. Therefore, Ousmane Dione emphasized three key elements for AI’s success for HCMC: 

* First, setting clear and realistic expectations for where and how AI can deliver for HCMC. 
* Second, ensure that there is an enabling environment for AI to succeed in practice, especially when it comes to accessing and integrating the data needed to solve the city’s challenges
* Finally, make sure that we understand and manage any key risks associated with AI.

Ousmane Dione also mentioned three important criteria, including:
* Successful AI requires setting priorities beyond business as usual.
* Real AI requires enough data, the new oil.
* Smart AI application should maximize rewards, but also manage risks

Seizing opportunities from AI in a result-oriented and disciplined manner holds significant promises for HCMC, Ousmane Dione
concluded that the failure to adequately resource and manage key cross-cutting initiatives will yield disappointments. Terms like Smart City, Industry 4.0, Digital Economy, and AI must translate to something concrete and ideally positive for peoples’ lives.
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