Why the future of AI is shaped by ethics – not just technology
Hanoi, maandag, 8 december 2025.
The Vietnam AI Contest 2025 was about more than innovation; it was also about responsible use of artificial intelligence. An international team of experts, led by Cansu Canca from Northeastern University, evaluated projects not only for creativity but especially for their ethical foundations. The most striking aspect? The jury placed an unusual emphasis on ‘carelessness’ as a design flaw – an idea that ethics must not be seen as an add-on, but as a fundamental pillar of good technology. This approach, which leads to AI that genuinely contributes to human wellbeing, demonstrates that the real challenge of this moment is no longer in building smart machines, but in constructing an intelligent society.
An international authority on AI ethics
The Vietnam AI Contest 2025 gained its international stature from a jury composed of experts with diverse backgrounds in ethics, technology, and policy. The jury employed a scientific and objective evaluation method focused on sustainable values in artificial intelligence [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The leading figure was Cansu Canca, Director of the Responsible AI Program at Northeastern University and founder of the AI Ethics Lab, who has over ten years of experience in bioethics, public health, and AI ethics, with work for the World Economic Forum (WEF), the EU, the NIH, IEEE, the UN, and Interpol [1][3][5][7][9]. Her presence underscored that ethics is no longer a byproduct of technology, but a core component of development strategy [1][2][3][5][8]. Other jury members included Professor Thomas E. Patterson from the Harvard Kennedy School, co-founder of the Boston Global Forum, and Nguyen Anh Tuan, CEO of the Boston Global Forum and pioneer in international AI initiatives such as the ‘Initiative for an Artificial Intelligence Society’ (AIWS) in collaboration with Harvard and MIT [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The jury placed an unusual focus on ‘carelessness’ as a design flaw – an idea that ethics is not an extra component, but a fundamental building block of good technology [6][8]. This approach reflects a growing consensus that a weak ethical foundation is not merely a PR issue, but a product defect, which in practice leads to loss of trust and harm [6][8].
From creativity to responsibility: the new view on AI innovation
The live presentation round of the Vietnam AI Contest 2025 took place on 6 and 7 December 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, where 22 teams from the online round presented their projects [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The jury assessed not only creativity and technical execution, but especially the ethical foundation of each project [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. This approach reflects a clear shift in AI development: values such as transparency, accountability, and inclusivity are now central to evaluation [6][8]. The jury applied a scientific, objective evaluation method and aimed for sustainable values in artificial intelligence, making the competition a genuine challenge for young talents [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The contest is expected to serve as a springboard for outstanding AI projects and contributions to the strong development of Vietnam’s AI ecosystem [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The focus was on creating ‘industrialized intelligence’ – not just generating ‘cool photos’ with generative AI, but building systems that genuinely contribute to human and financial wellbeing [6]. This underscores that the real challenge of the moment lies not in building smart machines, but in building an intelligent society that integrates responsibility and humanity [6][8].
AI and public communication: building trust today for tomorrow
The Vietnam AI Contest 2025 is a living example of how AI competitions can contribute to a transparent and responsible AI ecosystem, particularly in a global context where technological advancement goes hand in hand with responsible use [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. In a time when AI risks quickly spiralling beyond control, Vietnam’s approach offers a valuable lesson in how technology can evolve without losing sight of the human centre [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The competition strengthens trust in AI by demonstrating a clear, ethically driven approach [6][8]. It is crucial that AI applications in information and public communication – such as personalised information delivery, chatbots for public services, and AI-driven awareness campaigns – are not only effective but also earn trust from their target audiences [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. The jury of the Vietnam AI Contest 2025 emphasises that ethics is not an add-on, but a technical specification, comparable to systemic safety [6][8]. This has direct implications for the public sector: AI must not only transmit information, but also be inclusive, reliable, and transparent, so that diverse audiences – including less literate or less technically skilled citizens – can understand complex information [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. For example, the use of AI in awareness campaigns on climate change or public health can be optimised through algorithms that account for cultural context, language use, and accessibility, significantly increasing the effectiveness of the message [6][8].
The role of international collaboration in shaping AI ethics
The international collaboration in the Vietnam AI Contest 2025 is a powerful symbol of how AI ethics is not a national, but a global challenge. The jury included experts connected to Harvard, MIT, the University of Hong Kong, the WHO, the NIH, Interpol, the EU, the WEF, and the UN [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Jeff Saviano, global leader for tax innovation at EY and head of the AI Ethics in Business Initiative at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard, advises boards on AI strategy and ethics and is a founding member of The Prosperity Collaborative [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. He leads an initiative focused on integrating ethics and economics in AI policy [1][3][5][7][9]. Glen Weyl, economist and social technologist, chair of the Plurality Institute and project lead at Microsoft Research, is the author of ‘Radical Markets’ and ‘Decentralized Society’, and was named one of the 10 most influential figures in blockchain by CoinDesk [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. His presence on the jury illustrates that ethics is not only technical, but also economic and social in nature [6][8]. Yasuhide Nakayama, former Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and strategic advisor to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on foreign policy, defence, and technology, appeared as Japan’s representative in the Boston Global Forum [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. This collaboration between nations, institutions, and disciplines points to a new model of governance where ethics is not imposed, but co-created through shared values [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9].