Speaking with VnExpress on the afternoon of 22/8, Tran Le Nguyen, CEO of KIDO Group, stated that this is a strategic step, expanding from the food industry into creative technology. "We not only bring AI into advertising and cinema, but also aim to transfer technology and create a new creative ecosystem in Vietnam," he said.

The joint venture AIRO (AI + Pro) has 51% capital contribution from KIDO and 49% from Yuguang Tongchen, operating simultaneously in Vietnam and China. Tran Le Nguyen holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors. According to the agreement, the Chinese side is responsible for production and technology on the AI platform, while KIDO handles marketing, sales, and service deployment in Vietnam. In addition to its core products of TV commercials, video marketing, special effects, and visual effects, AIRO also plans to open AI special effects training courses for students and young creatives.

Hu Tian Cheng, Chairman of the Board of Yuguangtongchen (left) with Tran Le Nguyen, CEO of KIDO (right) in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of 22/8. Photo: Linh Dan

Hu Tian Cheng, Chairman of the Board of Yuguangtongchen (left) with Tran Le Nguyen, CEO of KIDO (right) in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of 22/8. Photo: Linh Dan

The idea for the partnership, according to Nguyen, stemmed from a trade promotion activity organized by the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City. Last year, during a business trip to Zhejiang – the birthplace of Alibaba and many large technology corporations, leaders of Ho Chi Minh City had the opportunity to directly interact with the China Association for Science and Technology. This was an opportunity for businesses to access advanced AI technology, opening up an entirely new field.

Hu Tian Cheng, Chairman of the Board of Yuguangtongchen, said that the scale of China's TV commercial market is worth up to billions of USD, and the potential in Vietnam is vast. The company hopes that if successful in Vietnam, this could be a springboard to help the joint venture export special effects technology to global markets.

Founded in Hangzhou in 2014, Yuguang Tongchen is considered one of the pioneering units in global AI special effects, having worked for Hollywood and collaborated with over 100 Fortune Global 500 brands such as Apple and Nike. Their technology is said to be second only to the US, but the cost is much lower than Hong Kong and Taiwan.

AIRO hopes to help Vietnamese businesses reach customers faster and more cost-effectively. While a traditional TV commercial typically takes 6-8 weeks with a cost of 50,000-70,000 USD, with AIRO, it only takes about 10 days and 10,000 USD. This technology can create backgrounds, crowds, explosions, and dangerous action scenes, while the main characters are still played by real actors.

This joint venture has signed cooperation agreements with Vinama, TMA Solutions, and Circus, as well as HTV and VTV to develop digital content. In addition, AIRO will implement an AI special effects training program in Vietnam.

According to Nguyen, AI is not meant to replace humans, but to be a support tool. "AI is special effects, not fake. It is only effective when combined with humans to create more attractive, economical, and safer products," he emphasized.

Nguyen also revealed that E2E, a subsidiary of KIDO, has been testing AI livestreaming for over a month and has started generating revenue. If successful, the business could become the pioneering unit applying this technology in Vietnam.

Thi Ha