Knowledge of and Competence in Artificial Intelligence: Perspectives of Vietnamese Digital-Native Students

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies have been employed to simulate human decision-making processes to improve people's lives. Accordingly, AI knowledge and related competence are crucial, especially for students pursuing information technology (IT) and computer-related degrees, since they will eventually be the next generation of AI designers or users. While the importance of AI technology and its applications have been widely discussed and explored, AI technology in Vietnam is in a nascent stage due to the shortage of skilled experts and the reluctance to adopt AI applications by businesses. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to explore the knowledge of and competence in AI among Vietnamese university IT students. A total of 206 university students from software engineering and computer science programs participated in this study. The results indicate the need for a focused effort to establish a strong foundation for a comprehensive and accessible AI mandatory course plan for IT students.