Vietnam’s artificial intelligence (AI) sector is gaining momentum, with significant strides made by local start-ups and major corporations alike. The ‘Made in Vietnam’ AI initiative has begun to carve a unique identity in a competitive global landscape. In October 2025, the AI-powered Q&A social network AI Hay, developed by Vietnamese engineers, emerged as the only Southeast Asian representative in the Top 5 global AI applications based on active users and downloads, according to the ‘State of AI – Report 2025’ released by research firm Sensor Tower.
AI Hay, which surpassed global competitors like Google Gemini and DeepSeek in real user numbers in early 2025—only behind ChatGPT—has been downloaded over 15 million times. It currently leads the education category on the App Store and Google Play in Vietnam. As the country’s first and largest purely Vietnamese AI Q&A social network, its operation director, Nguyen Hoang Hiep, emphasizes that the milestone is merely a step forward. “This is not a final destination, but proof that focusing on the real needs of Vietnamese users is the right path,” he said.
Instead of direct competition with major global players, AI Hay has adopted a strategy of understanding and catering to local user needs, including students seeking information on university admissions and civil servants needing the latest policy and legal documents. “The game is long and full of challenges, but there are also many opportunities to do better,” Hiep added.
While start-ups like AI Hay attract media attention, Vietnam’s leading technology firms are also making significant advances in AI. FPT, one of the country’s largest tech companies, has integrated Vietnamese natural language processing and generative AI applications into its FPT.AI platform. These tools assist in automating content creation, enhancing customer service, and increasing productivity for thousands of businesses.
Viettel, Vietnam’s military-run telecom company, is building a comprehensive AI ecosystem that spans internal governance, big data analytics, and digital simulation. Its AI solutions address critical areas such as cybersecurity and urban management, optimizing resource use while bolstering system security.
Meanwhile, Vingroup, through its subsidiary VinAI, stands out as one of the few Vietnamese firms capable of conducting AI research at international standards. VinAI is heavily invested in advanced applications, notably in computer vision for autonomous vehicles and intelligent traffic systems. Its AI-driven technologies for facial recognition, behavior detection, and traffic monitoring are already being implemented in real-world settings to tackle complex transportation challenges in urban areas.
International reports indicate that Vietnam’s AI sector is on a rapid growth trajectory, estimated to reach $932 million in 2025 and projected to surge to $6.91 billion by 2031. This represents a compound annual growth rate of 38.97 percent from 2025 to 2031, as reported by Statista. The surge is primarily driven by increased adoption of AI technologies among enterprises.
A study titled ‘Unlocking Vietnam’s AI Potential,’ conducted by Amazon Web Services in collaboration with Strand Partners, revealed that approximately 170,000 Vietnamese businesses have begun implementing AI solutions, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 13 percent. In 2024 alone, the adoption rate grew by 39 percent, with an average of five Vietnamese companies embarking on their AI journeys every hour.
The Vietnamese government is also improving its readiness for AI integration, recently being placed in the ‘Very High’ category of the United Nations E-Government Development Index, ranking 71st globally and fifth in Southeast Asia. The country’s ambition to become a leading AI hub by 2030 has been solidified through its National Strategy on Research, Development and Application of AI. This strategy includes the establishment of a National AI Development Fund, designed to accelerate innovation.
During the 2025 VinFuture Sci-Tech Week, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy announced plans for a national AI supercomputing center, initiatives for expanding open data ecosystems, and the development of AI infrastructure. The overarching goal is to make AI an intelligent assistant accessible to all citizens, thereby boosting social productivity and widening access to knowledge.
FPT’s CEO, Nguyen Van Khoa, emphasized that Vietnamese companies can develop competitive advantages through breakthroughs in human capital, science and data capabilities, and innovative business models. “If we seize science and technology and master digital transformation, Vietnam can rise to the leading group in the new era,” Khoa stated. However, the country’s AI journey is not without challenges, including a shortage of skilled AI professionals, infrastructure gaps, and limited investment capital.
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