Abundant data, limited interconnection

Over the past decade, Da Nang has consistently ranked among Vietnam's leading localities in IT application and digital transformation, developing numerous digital platforms serving citizens and businesses.

Da Nang has invested comprehensively in IT infrastructure, data centers, telecommunications networks, and information security, viewed as crucial "digital assets" for building a smart city.

According to Mr. Ho Quang Buu, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, Da Nang is focusing on key tasks such as building an urban Digital Twin, a data exchange platform, promoting AI applications, developing low-altitude airspace economics, establishing a Smart Free Trade Zone, an International Financial Center, and various new development models.

According to experts, the main current challenge is not a lack of data, but rather that data remains scattered across disparate systems. Each sector has built its own platform, but inter-system communication, sharing, and aggregated exploitation remain limited.

Mr. Jacky Lee, Director of the APJ AI Innovation Hub at Dell Technologies, suggested building a unified urban intelligence platform that integrates data, AI, IoT, and an Intelligent Operations Center (IOC). Da Nang needs a unified platform where data from cameras, sensors, traffic systems, public services, and specialized platforms can be connected, standardized, and securely managed, helping leaders make faster and more accurate decisions.

According to Dell Technologies representatives, alongside tech solutions, establishing an open architecture following international standards will prevent vendor lock-in, ensuring integration capabilities and sustainable growth for the smart city.

Experiences in building data- and AI-driven smart cities

Mr. Nguyen Danh Thanh, Director of the Viettel Solutions Digital Urban Center, noted that urban digital twins are a core technology that can effectively support urban planning, simulation, and management in the upcoming period. Here, data continuously updates from real-world systems, enabling management agencies to track, analyze, simulate, and forecast scenarios prior to making decisions.

Global cities like Singapore, Paris (France), and Shenzhen (China) have deployed this model to simulate infrastructure, analyze traffic, predict scenarios, and assist policy planning to improve urban management efficiency.

The current overarching trend is shifting from isolated data management to cross-sector data connectivity and integration for urban simulation, forecasting, and governance.

Meanwhile, Huawei shared smart city development insights from Shenzhen (China), named World Smart City at the 2024 World Smart City Expo in Barcelona, Spain.

One highlighted technology deployed was the urban digital twin, which allows the simulation of entire city infrastructure in digital space by connecting data from AI cameras, IoT sensors, and management systems. Three decisive success factors included: unified leadership from government, establishing data and AI as the foundation, and synchronized investment in digital infrastructure like cameras, transmission networks, and sensor systems.

Recommendations from experts

Based on international experience, experts believe Da Nang fully meets the conditions required to deploy urban digital twin technology. However, the critical point is not investing in technology first and finding application problems later, but starting from the city's practical needs.

Mr. Nguyen Danh Thanh emphasized that the city should select core focus problems to pilot before expanding to other sectors. Additionally, data must be standardized according to a unified data architecture, evaluated with specific performance metrics, and rolled out on an appropriate roadmap.

From a global technology enterprise perspective, Huawei recommended that Da Nang prioritize digital twins, AI, IoT, smart cameras, and operational systems to enhance urban governance efficiency, ensure security, manage infrastructure, monitor flooding, and support real-time data-driven decision-making.

Meanwhile, Ms. Aarthi Kannalagan, Smart City Solutions Architect for Asia-Pacific at Dell Technologies, suggested that combining technologies like Digital Twins, AI video analytics, intelligent transport systems, and flood monitoring/forecasting solutions will help Da Nang boost urban governance capacity, increase resilience against challenges, and improve public service quality.

Experts agree that urban digital twins and AI can act as a "digital brain," enhancing city governance, optimizing resources, and moving closer to the goal of becoming a leading global smart city by 2030.