HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is fast becoming a key destination for artificial intelligence (AI) investment, attracting global interest across infrastructure, platforms and applications, reported Đầu tư (Vietnam Investment Review) newspaper.

In early 2026, Russell Headlee, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, led a delegation of US businesses to Việt Nam to explore cooperation opportunities in AI, digital infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Headlee said AI is now a top priority in US digital policy, reflected in the “America’s AI Action Plan” announced on July 23, 2025. He praised Việt Nam’s ambition, noting the country is positioning itself as a regional leader by being among the first to adopt the Law on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

At the 6th ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting in Hà Nội in mid-January, a US delegation including 18 major technology and telecommunications firms such as Google, Meta and Amazon Web Services expressed strong interest in Việt Nam’s market, viewing it as a potential destination for building AI infrastructure, developing services and expanding operations.

Several major projects have recently been announced. Create Capital Vietnam, Haimaker.ai and the Vietnam DataGen joint venture plan to build a 100MW AI data centre in Đà Nẵng’s High-Tech Park with total investment of US$1 billion. Japan’s Meiko Electronics unveiled a 40 billion Japanese yen ($255 million) factory project in Hà Nội to produce AI-integrated printed circuit boards, while Dassault Systèmes opened an R&D and a centre of Excellence for AI and Digital Twin in the capital.

Competing with regional peers

In its “Artificial Intelligence in Southeast Asia” report, Source of Asia highlighted Việt Nam’s growing role as a strategic hub for AI talent and research. While Singapore is described as the “brain” of policy and capital and Malaysia the “heart” of infrastructure, Việt Nam is emerging as a large-scale provider of AI research and skilled human resources. The country was ranked among the “Developing AI Talent Powerhouses,” economies rapidly accelerating training and attracting talent.

Việt Nam’s advantage lies in its people. With more than 500,000 engineers and IT professionals, it has one of Southeast Asia’s largest technology workforces. The number of AI startups jumped from about 60 in 2021 to 278 in 2024, signaling a rapidly evolving ecosystem.

Global perceptions are also shifting. Việt Nam is no longer seen only as a software outsourcing base but increasingly as part of the AI value chain. Qualcomm’s AI R&D centre in Hà Nội – its third-largest AI hub globally – underscores this trend. CEO Cristiano Amon said Việt Nam was chosen to serve not just the domestic market but the wider region.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Kobayashi Yosuke noted that AI is moving from testing to commercial deployment across multiple sectors, and Việt Nam’s skilled workforce, innovation spirit and expanding digital economy provide strong foundations for a competitive startup ecosystem.

Opportunities and challenges 

Việt Nam is speeding up its digital transformation, with the artificial intelligence (AI) market maintaining an average growth rate of approximately 15.8 per cent per year, according to a report by ABeam Consulting.

The country possesses many advantages, including a young population, high demand for digital services, and strong policies promoting digital transformation. 

AI is creating tangible value in which banks use AI to monitor transactions in real time to prevent fraud; insurance companies automate claims assessment and settlement; and manufacturing applies predictive maintenance to reduce errors and optimise production lines.

According to ABeam, the biggest weakness is the lack of a data foundation and system architecture. Many businesses deploy AI very quickly through chatbots, content creation tools, and automation but lack a unified data architecture. This leads to fragmented insights that cannot be scaled beyond small trials.

But ABeam also emphasised that technology is only half the process. 

Many organisations with modern systems still fail because their staff is unfamiliar with the new processes, lack training, or feel overwhelmed. Digital transformation requires businesses to build a “DX engine”: a suitable culture, a flexible organisation, good data, and a ready workforce.

Turning AI into a competitive advantage

Việt Nam’s Law on AI will take effect on March 1, 2026, alongside a national AI strategy through 2030 with a vision to 2045. The country aims to become one of the top three AI R&D centres in Southeast Asia by 2030 and train at least 50,000 chip and AI engineers.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân said new science and technology laws effective from 2026 offer strong incentives for high-tech R&D investment. AI, semiconductors and ICT are among 11 strategic technologies being prioritised.

Experts stressed the need for coordinated action. FPT Chairman Trương Gia Bình urged Việt Nam to safeguard key national data domestically and promote open systems. Professor Nguyễn Ái Việt, director of the Institute for Generative Intelligence Technology and Education (IGNITE), highlighted “technology diplomacy” and stronger R&D investment, while Professor Trần Xuân Tú, director of the Institute of Information Technology, called for continued State leadership in legal frameworks, infrastructure and financial support.

Leaders need to be sensitive to technological trends, but more importantly, they need to understand their employees, have a realistic transformation roadmap, and invest seriously in training and change management, ABeam said.

AI is a powerful partner – but people are the key to transforming technology into a sustainable growth engine rather than a fleeting trend, the company said.

“Việt Nam has the speed, talent, and market demand to lead the next wave of AI-driven transformation in the region. Successful companies will be those that combine rapid execution capabilities with a well-structured architecture and effective change management,” said Ryohei Oda, General Director of ABeam Consulting Vietnam. — VNS