AI is increasingly becoming a powerful tool for building smart cities in Vietnam by supporting the development of integrated shared data warehouses, digital platforms, security monitoring, and the automation of public administrative services. In particular, the Law on Artificial Intelligence (Law No. 134/2025/QH15), passed by the National Assembly on December 10, 2025, has established a comprehensive legal framework for the research, development, provision, deployment, and use of this technology. In its smart city development plan, Can Tho City has identified AI as a tool and innovation as the driving force for sustainable development. At the recent symposium on "Smart City Development in Can Tho," experts presented several key solutions for the city to effectively unlock this potential. According to Dr. Christopher Han, Director of Innovation Strategy at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, for AI to maximize its power at optimal cost and scale, the system requires high-quality data and must be deployed through a rigorous process. This process requires human-centered design, starting with discovering the right problem, conducting in-depth research, iterative design, and finally scaling up. “The ultimate goal of using technology is to serve humanity. Understanding the real-world challenges of the community is the solid foundation for leveraging AI to create groundbreaking and sustainable solutions,” emphasized Dr. Christopher Han. In the context of the rapid development of digital technology and AI, humanity faces a major challenge in mastering technology. According to Dr. Manfredo Manfredini of the University of Auckland (New Zealand), the gap between the superior processing power of AI systems and the ability of humans to utilize them is becoming increasingly apparent. This requires urban managers and education systems to quickly change their mindset: It's not enough to simply train users to passively use the technology; instead, focus must be placed on enhancing their ability