New AWS research shows strong AI adoption momentum in Vietnam

Hanoi, Vietnam-September 18, 2025-Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, today released new research revealing that artificial intelligence (AI) adoption continues to accelerate in Vietnam, with 18% of Vietnam's businesses already adopting AI. However, most Vietnamese businesses (74%) remain focused on basic uses of AI. Only 35% of startups and 11% of large enterprises that have adopted AI are building entirely new AI-driven products with AI. This presents an opportunity for Vietnam to unlock greater economic potential by combining the agility and innovation of startups with the scale and resources of enterprises to accelerate and deepen Vietnam's AI adoption.

To better understand the scope of AI and where companies of different scales might be headed, AWS collaborated with Strand Partners to conduct the AI adoption survey in Vietnam. The "Unlocking Vietnam's AI Potential" study surveyed 1,000 business leaders, and 1,000 nationally representative members of the public in Vietnam.

Widespread But Basic Adoption of AI across Vietnam's Businesses
In Vietnam, 47,000 businesses adopted AI solutions in 2024 - over five every hour. Almost 170,000, or 18% of Vietnam's businesses have already adopted AI, up from 13% last year, showing a year-on-year growth rate of 39%. The productivity and economic potential of AI adoption are promising. 61% of Vietnam's businesses that have adopted AI reported an increase in revenue, at an average increase of 16%, while 58% expect an average of 20% in cost savings.

While AI adoption is increasingly widespread in Vietnam, most businesses are not yet harnessing its most advanced uses, underscoring the need to deepen AI adoption to unlock Vietnam's full AI potential. 74% of Vietnam's businesses remain focused primarily on basic use cases, like driving efficiencies and streamlining processes using AI - rather than innovation like developing new products or disrupting industries. Just 17% of Vietnam's businesses have advanced to the intermediate stage of AI adoption, and only 9% have reached the most transformative stage of AI integration, where AI is no longer just a tool but a core part of product development, decision-making, and business models.

Startups are particularly enthusiastic and innovative in their use of AI in Vietnam, adopting AI's most advanced uses far more rapidly than more established companies. 55% of startups in Vietnam are using AI in some way, of which 35% are building entirely new AI-driven products with AI, leveraging the technology to its full potential. In contrast, 41% of large enterprises use AI, but only 11% of these are delivering a new AI-driven product or service, and only 12% have a comprehensive AI strategy. This difference in AI innovation uncovers a deeper finding that could shape Vietnam's economic future.

"It is an interesting phenomenon we are seeing with AI adoption coming out of the study results in Vietnam. While 18% of businesses reported they have adopted AI, most of the deployments remain basic despite the rapid adoption of the technology over the past year," said Nick Bonstow, Director at Strand Partners. "The nimbler, faster-paced startups are also pulling ahead of large enterprises in their speed and depth of innovation. The resulting 'two-tier' AI economy could have lasting implications on a country's future economic development. Celebrating AI adoption numbers alone masks the deeper challenges many businesses face across Vietnam."

AI Skills Gap is the Main Barrier to Deeper AI Adoption
A lack of skilled personnel is the leading reason that 55% of businesses in Vietnam say is preventing them from adopting or expanding their use of AI. Many of the businesses reported having the technology and the vision, but are unable to find the people to bring it to life. This puts Vietnam's global competitiveness at risk and restricts economic potential, as AI literacy is expected to be required in 50% of jobs going into the future, and only 24% of businesses feel prepared with their current workforce's skillset. As a result, businesses say they would be willing to increase a salary offer by 40% to a candidate with strong AI skills.

In considering the impact of potential new AI regulations, the top hope expressed by businesses in Vietnam is for regulation to provide increased confidence among customers (50%), and a stable regulatory environment (47%). Businesses in Vietnam also estimate they spent 18% of their budget on compliance-related costs, and 71% expect that figure to increase in the next three years.

The Path Forward for AI Innovation
The report uncovered three priority actions to overcome these barriers and unlock the full potential of AI across startups and large enterprises to avoid the emergence of a 'two-tier' economy: Firstly, invest in and build industry-specific digital skills programs to develop a digitally-skilled workforce to drive AI-led innovation and growth. Secondly, establish a clear picture of Vietnam's pro-growth regulation that is predictable and innovation-friendly, to help drive deeper AI adoption across all businesses. Lastly, with 69% of businesses saying they are more likely to adopt AI if the government leads, it will be critical to accelerate digital transformation in the public sector, especially in healthcare and education, and use public procurement to drive innovation.

Vietnam is advancing AI innovation with support from AWS through robust infrastructure and talent development. AWS launched Edge locations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2022, followed by a planned AWS Local Zone to boost digital transformation. Over 100,000 individuals have been trained in cloud and AI in Vietnam since 2017. And in 2023, AWS rolled out the 'AI Ready' initiative, offering free AI and generative AI courses- 30 in Vietnamese to date - to help learners gain in-demand skills and access career opportunities.

"Vietnam businesses show strong AI innovation adoption, demonstrating significant economic potential. However, our research reveals critical barriers, particularly for larger enterprises looking to deepen AI implementation," said Eric Yeo, Country General Manager, AWS Vietnam. "To maintain Vietnam's competitive position globally, government and industry must address these specific challenges. AWS remains committed to accelerating generative AI adoption through our infrastructure investments and skills training initiatives."

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