The "Human vs. Machine" cycle proposes to invite, over a period of one year, about fifteen French experts (representatives of the associative world, political decision-makers, researchers, artists) who have each developed a singular reflection on the Human/Machine relationship, to meet their Vietnamese counterparts.

Through fifteen debates spread over 2020-2021, the cycle aims to contribute to a global reflection on technological advances as a social issue. From the understanding of artificial intelligence to its applications on health and education, the environment and the intelligent city, the debate cycle proposes a pedagogical progression addressing its political, economic, legislative and ethical implications.

The project aims above all to be a forum for debate and discussion, exchange and information, to strengthen the knowledge of decision-makers and the general public on the risks and opportunities that these technologies present to Vietnamese society, and more broadly to our globalized world.

To extend the debate of ideas, a program of films, workshops, shows and exhibitions is proposed to the public and a cooperation has been established with several Vietnamese publishers who will publish, throughout the year 2021 and with the help of the French Institute, translations of books by French authors dealing with these subjects.

Agenda of the debates

December 2020

1. Launch of the debate cycle: Artificial intelligence, how does it work?

With Prof. Ho Tu Bao (mathematician and computer scientist) and Mr. Dinh Tran Tuan Linh (author). Moderator: Ms. Thai Mai Quyen (journalist from the national television VTV2).

2. Computer modelling: designing artificial worlds to better understand and manage the real world.
With Mr Alexis Drogoul (Director of IRD, Hanoi) and Mr Nguyen Ngoc Doanh (Professor of Thuy Loi University, Hanoi)

January 2021

3. Night of Ideas : Smart City = sustainable and liveable city ?
Watch the event

With Mr. Emmanuel Cerise (architect, Director of PRX-Vietnam, Representative of the Ile-de-France region in Hanoi), Mr. Nicolas BERNARDIN (Director THALES VIETNAM), Mrs. Mélanie-Lan DOREMUS (architect, General Director of AREP South Asia), Mrs. Nguyen Thai Huyen (architect, urban planner, Vice-director of the institute of training and international cooperation, Hanoi Architecture University) and Mrs. Le Thi Thuy Ha (architect, deputy head of the office of strategic research and policy for urban development, Vietnamese Institute of Urban Planning).

Prior to the event, a video recording of a remote interview between Linh Nguyen Tri (head of major urban project of IDF, Bouygues Immobilier) and Dominique Sellier (urban planner based in Oslo, Norway), moderated by Emmanuel Cerise (Researcher, PRX representative in Hanoi) was made. This video, produced in collaboration with the Norwegian IF, was edited and subtitled for use during the debate.

March 2021

4. A Century of Feminism in Vietnam: Women's Place in the Technological Society and Opportunities in the Age of the 4.0 Revolution

With Doan Anh Duong, researcher at the Vietnam Institute of Literature; Dr. Bui Tran Phuong, former director of Hoa Sen University; Dr. Khuat Thu Hong, head of the Institute for Social Development Research; Tran Ly Ly, artist emeritus, director of the National Opera-Ballet of Vietnam; and Trang Ha, writer.

5. The environment in the age of the 4.0 revolution

With Dr. Hoang Viet Anh (Solution Development Specialist at Green Field Technology and Engineering Company), Dr. Nguyen Thi Nhat Thanh (Associate Professor at the University of Engineering and Technology - Vietnam National University in Hanoi), Ms. Phan Thanh Hai (President and CEO of PAMAir), Mr. Nguyen Hoang Minh (Co-founder of IOTeamVN) and Ms. Do Van Nguyet (Director of Live & Learn Foundation for Environment and Community).

April 2021

6. 6. "The world of children in the age of technology" on the occasion of the launch of the Vietnamese edition of Michel Serres' Little Thumb

With Mr. Duong Thang (former professor of mathematics at the University of Natural Sciences under the Vietnam National University in Hanoi), Dr. Dinh Tran Phuong (teacher of Hanoi-Amsterdam High School), Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung (Director of Sao Bac Publishing Company), and Ms. Thai Mai Quyen, a journalist of VTV2.

On this occasion, a drawing contest for children entitled "INTERNET, EVERYWHERE AROUND YOU" was launched and attracted over 500 entries. The jury selected 68 works which were exhibited at IF Hanoi - l'Espace from 20 to 30 April.

May 2021

7. Innovation strategies of start-ups: how to pool resources?

With Mr. Lê Van Quân (Director of the Hanoi SME Support Centre - Department of Planning and Investment in Hanoi), Mr. Mac Quoc Anh (Secretary General of the SME Association), Mr. Bastien Faugeroux (Head of the Tech & Services Department Business France Vietnam), Jean-Philippe Eglinger (Director of Studies at INALCO and CEO of Việt Pháp Strategies), as well as various speakers in Danang, Hué, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City and Paris

Startup activities related to innovation and creativity continue to grow strongly in recent years in Vietnam. According to indicators, Vietnam is currently the 3rd largest startup development ecosystem in the Asian region.

The round table "Innovation strategies of start-ups: how to pool resources" is organized in the framework of the communication program of the National Start-up Project 844.

8. How to measure air quality and health - Application of 4.0 technologies in health and environment

With representatives from different institutes and schools; scientists specialised in the study of Air Pollution and Health; representatives from the Air Quality Management and Public Health Agency and representatives from the Science and Development magazine.

9. Artificial intelligence and digital humanities

With Dominique Vinck (sociologist of science and innovation, author of the book Humanités numériques. La culture face aux nouvelles technologies), Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung (Director of Sao Bac Publishing), Mr. Tran Ngoc Hieu (researcher)

On the occasion of the launch of the Vietnamese translation of the book Digital Humanities. Culture in the face of new technologies by Dominique Vinck

June 2021

10. The role of fathers in the education of young children: how the 4.0 technology revolution is transforming parent/child relationships.

With Mr Phúc Lai (author and lawyer), Mr Nguyễn Quốc Vương (researcher), Mr Đỗ Tiến Thành (engineer), Mr Hà Đình Lực (teacher).

July 2021

11. The impact of AI systems on education

With Alexia Audevart (Expert in machine learning, founder of Datactik)

August 2021

12. What is the difference between humans and intelligent machines?

With François Pachet (French scientist, composer and director of the Spotify Creator Technology Research Lab) and Laurence Devillers (CNRS researcher, professor of computer science applied to social sciences at the University of Paris-Sorbonne)

September 2021

13. Singularity: phantasm or reality? When the machine overtakes man

With Jean-Gabriel Ganascia (writer, researcher, specialist in AI; president of the CNRS Ethics Committee), on the occasion of the launch of the Vietnamese edition of the book Artificial Intelligence Towards a Programmed Domination published by Sao Bac and in anticipation of the Vietnamese publication of the book The Myth of the Singularity. Should we fear artificial intelligence? published by The Gioi

14. Smart Cities, AI interconnection, widespread use of connected objects, human/machine interfaces: should limits be imposed on these technologies?

With Françoise Soulie-Fogelman (Mathematician and computer scientist, specialist in artificial intelligence and big data)

October 2021

15. Who is afraid of the evil AI?

With Eric Sadin (French writer and philosopher, mainly known for his technocritical writings. In 2018, he signed L'Intelligence artificielle ou l'enjeu du siècle : Anatomie d'un antihumanisme radical)

16. Autonomy of objects and AI

With Yann Le Cun (considered one of the inventors of deep learning, he created and directed Facebook's FAIR artificial intelligence laboratory)

November 2021

17. Transforming the human

With Franck Damour (researcher and essayist, associate professor of history) on the occasion of the launch of the Vietnamese edition of the book Transhumanism: what future for humanity? published by Sao Bac, Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung (Director of Sao Bac publishing company) and Ms. Thai Mai Quyen (journalist of VTV2)

18. What laws for robots?

With Sébastien Konieczny (CNRS research director in artificial intelligence) and Gaëlle Pinson (CEO of Hub France IA)

December 2021

19. The Transhumanist Revolution

With Luc Ferry (author of numerous essays, former minister, former professor of philosophy and political science), on the occasion of the launch of the Vietnamese edition of the book La révolution transhumaniste: comment la technomédecine et l'uberisation du monde vont bouleverser nos vies (The Transhumanist Revolution: How Technomedicine and the Uberization of the World Will Change Our Lives ) published by Nha Nam.

20. What will be the new jobs in the coming decades, and what jobs will disappear?

With Mr. Mac Quoc Anh (Secretary General of the Association of SMEs), Mr. Alexis Drogoul (researcher at IRD, Hanoi)

To go further: an associated artistic program

In order to enrich the reflection on these issues, the French Institute of Vietnam plans to screen documentaries, hold shows and organize two exhibitions.

Documentaries considered

Shows

  • the play La Machine de Turing, by Benoit Solès, which received 4 Molières in 2019 (the highest award for French theatrical creation)
  • the De Laurentis concert, whose electronic music interacts live with an artificial intelligence, exploring in depth the alliance of emotions between a human artist and her machine "sister
  • the contemporary dance show Robot by choreographer Blanca Li

Exhibitions

  • Tomorrow'srobots, from France Cadet, figure of art-science hybridization. From her training in biology she has kept a taste for anatomy. Neither technophobic nor technophile, she questions our relationship with technology. She is interested in the technological mutations of our world, our becoming cyborg, our fusion with the machine.

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Project leader: Thierry Vergnon, Deputy Director of the French Institute of Vietnam in Hanoi