Intel Recognizes Young Vietnamese AI Changemakers in Global Impact Festival
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Intel recognizes next-generation technologists while teaching responsible use with its AI Global Impact Festival.
What’s New: Intel announced the global prize winners at its fifth-annual AI Global Impact Festival. The festival celebrates student-led AI projects from 32 countries that address real-world challenges using responsible AI innovation. Six students from Moldova, the United States, Singapore, China, India, and Vietnam won Global Awards out of numerous finalists, selected through a rigorous evaluation process that assessed AI innovation, responsible technology use, and social impact. Winners underwent an extensive AI ethics audit conducted by Intel technologists to ensure their solutions meet the highest standards of responsible AI development.
“As artificial intelligence continues to redefine the boundaries of innovation, a new generation of technologists is emerging as a driving force behind this transformation. These young innovators are not only adopting AI, they’re shaping its future by solving real-world problems. With fresh perspectives, technical agility, and commitment to ethical innovation, they are accelerating progress across industries. The future of innovation depends on their curiosity, their courage, and their critical thinking.” –Kimberly Mayes, VP of Strategic Talent, Inclusion, Engagement and Corporate Social Impact at Intel
Why It Matters: AI has the potential to tackle global issues such as accessibility, sustainability, healthcare, and education inequity. AI technology can create positive change and Intel is committed to advancing digital readiness and promoting responsible AI skills for all. The festival provides an opportunity for students worldwide to understand how to build responsible AI solutions that create meaningful social impact.
Intel is committed to responsibly bringing AI skills to all, regardless of ethnicity, age, gender or background. The festival provides a platform for future innovators to learn about, compete and celebrate the impact of AI innovations. Currently, Intel has taught AI skills to more than 8 million people globally through partnerships with 29 national governments and 27,000 institutions, reinforcing Intel’s commitment to bringing ethical and accessible AI everywhere.
Vietnamese Students Honored with Two AI-for-Community Projects
This year, Vietnam is among the countries recognized by Intel at both the global and regional levels, highlighting the remarkable growth of its youth in technology and STEM education.
In the 18+ age group, three students from Lac Hong University (Dong Nai): Hoang Gia Huy, Bui Xuan Canh, and Vi Hoai Thuong, made their mark on the international stage by winning a Global Award for “Your Voice”, an AI application that breaks communication barriers between the deaf community and the broader public.
Your Voice, is an AI-powered application that translates between Vietnamese Sign Language (VSL) and text/speech in real time. Using computer vision, machine learning, and animated avatars, the app enables two-way communication through smartphones or webcams. It also offers educational content to help users learn sign language, along with tools to support job searching and daily interactions. The intended impact is to break communication barriers, promote social inclusion, and empower over 2.5 million people with hearing or speech impairments in Vietnam, ultimately advancing accessibility, equity, and digital transformation for underserved communities. Each awardee received USD 2,000 from Intel.
In the 13–17 age group, two Vietnamese students: Ha Ngo (Lam Son High School for the Gifted, Thanh Hoa) and Phuc Phan (Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, Ho Chi Minh City), won a Regional Award for “Hap”, an AI- and haptic-feedback–based mobility aid for the visually impaired.
Hap solves this by combining smart glasses and a neck-mounted haptic system. Using YOLOv8 and OpenVINO™, it detects nearby objects and translates them into directional vibrations on the neck, enabling intuitive, silent, and screen-free navigation. Designed for young adults (18–30), Hap works offline – ideal for rural areas – and requires no sound or literacy. Lightweight, affordable, and discreet, Hap empowers users to safely explore and interact with their surroundings and regain confidence in daily life activities. It supports SDGs 3, 9, 10, and 11 by making inclusive, AI-powered mobility more accessible, equitable, and human-centered worldwide.
Hap combines smart glasses and a neck-mounted haptic system. Powered by YOLOv8 and OpenVINO™, it detects nearby objects and translates them into directional vibrations on the neck, allowing users to navigate intuitively, silently, and without relying on sound or literacy. Designed to help visually impaired individuals safely explore and interact with their surroundings while regaining confidence in daily activities, Hap is offline-capable, low-cost, and easy to use, making it particularly suitable for rural environments. Each student received USD 1,000 from Intel.
These achievements underscore Vietnam’s rapid adoption and application of AI, particularly among young people. They also reflect the impact of Intel’s digital readiness and STEM education initiatives implemented across the region and in Vietnam.
More context: Watch a video announcing the winners and check out last year’s winning projects.
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About Intel
Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) is an industry leader, creating world-changing technology that enables global progress and enriches lives. Inspired by Moore’s Law, we continuously work to advance the design and manufacturing of semiconductors to help address our customers’ greatest challenges. By embedding intelligence in the cloud, network, edge and every kind of computing device, we unleash the potential of data to transform business and society for the better. To learn more about Intel’s innovations, go to newsroom.intel.com and intel.com.
