G42, an Abu Dhabi-based technology holding group focused on artificial intelligence, has signed a framework cooperation agreement with a Vietnamese consortium comprising FPT Corporation and Viet Thai Group to develop sovereign AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure across Vietnam.
The partners said the initiative is intended to support Vietnam’s ambition to become an AI-native society and a leading AI hub in Southeast Asia, while prioritizing national data sovereignty and digital resilience.
Signed in Ho Chi Minh City, the agreement establishes a broad partnership structure intended to align legal, financial, and regulatory requirements for nationwide deployment. The parties also pointed to Vietnam’s evolving regulatory approach as a catalyst for hyperscale data center development and broader public cloud adoption, positioning the country to play a larger role in regional AI infrastructure.
The initiative is backed by up to $1 billion in consumption commitments, according to the announcement, and will involve deploying significant cloud capacity across three data center locations in Vietnam. The partners said the planned infrastructure will deliver high-performance AI and cloud services designed to support workloads across both the public and private sectors.
Each party is expected to contribute distinct capabilities. FPT, Vietnam’s largest IT services company with operations in more than 30 countries, is positioned as the local technical delivery and market execution engine. Viet Thai Group, a consumer and retail operator with portfolio companies across coffee, foodservice, retail, and logistics, is expected to provide cross-sector demand and implementation insight. G42 is bringing AI infrastructure capabilities, aligning the project with its stated ambition to build a global “Intelligence Grid” that connects AI infrastructure, cloud platforms, and governance frameworks while respecting national sovereignty.
Beyond infrastructure, the partnership includes plans for national AI skilling and workforce development programs aimed at expanding AI adoption across government, industry, and academia. The next phase is expected to include finalizing workload distribution between public and private sectors, securing regulatory approvals for public cloud adoption, and beginning site development for data center infrastructure. The announcement said the initiative is expected to generate economic impact through direct infrastructure investment, job creation, and helping position Vietnam as a strategic technology hub for the region.
FPT also provided operating context, stating that by the end of 2025 it recorded consolidated revenue of VND 70,113 billion and profit before tax of VND 13,039 billion, with year-over-year increases of 11.6% and 17.8%, respectively. The company highlighted its technology sector as a key contributor to group results and noted that its two “AI Factories” in Japan and Vietnam ranked 36th and 38th on the Top 500 High Performance Computing list announced in June 2025. Viet Thai Group described itself as one of Vietnam’s largest consumer and retail operators, citing a portfolio that includes Highlands Coffee and more than 2,000 retail outlets operating in 30 countries.
KEY QUOTES
“This Framework Agreement represents a new model for national AI transformation – one built on sovereignty, partnership, and purpose. We are grateful to the Government of Vietnam for their visionary leadership and to our partners, the FPT Corporation and the Viet Thai Group for their commitment to building infrastructure that enables Vietnam to harness AI’s full potential while maintaining data sovereignty and digital independence.”
Ali Al Amine, Chief Commercial Officer, G42 International
“Vietnam clearly understands that it cannot move forward alone. In areas such as semiconductors, AI, cloud computing, big data, and cybersecurity, we need strategic alliances with partners we can rely on and trust. The leaders have shown strong commitment, built mutual trust, and now it is time to turn those commitments into real implementation.”
Dr. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman, FPT Corporation
“This initiative positions Vietnam at the forefront of AI-driven economic development in Asia, supporting economic development and the growth of the middle class in Vietnam. Our partnership with G42 and FPT creates the infrastructure foundation for long-term growth and innovation across multiple sectors.”
David Thai, Chairman & CEO, Viet Thai Group
