Vietnam's digital economy now contributes more than 18% of national GDP and is expected to reach 30% by 2030, reflecting the country's rapid digital transformation.

The country also ranks among the top five ASEAN nations for AI readiness, while nationwide 5G coverage has surpassed 90%, providing a stronger foundation for real-time AI applications and increasing demand for integrated solutions and advanced engineering expertise.

Based on these trends, Tan Aik Hoon, Regional President for South Asia and South Korea at Avnet, said Vietnam has reached an important milestone in its AI journey.

"Vietnam is entering a pivotal stage in AI development as the market shifts its focus from experimentation to real-world deployment," she said.

According to Tan, Vietnam has already established a solid foundation for expanding AI adoption. The next priority is ensuring AI applications are implemented effectively, enabling organisations to translate existing capabilities into measurable business outcomes by combining global technological innovation with local engineering expertise.

Manufacturing driving AI demand

Across Southeast Asia, companies are increasingly concentrating on bringing AI concepts into scalable commercial applications.

The trend is particularly evident in Vietnam, where manufacturing accounts for around one-quarter of GDP and rapid digitalisation is driving investment in intelligent industrial systems.

According to the Avnet Insights 2026 report, 56% of engineers worldwide have already brought AI-enabled products to market, demonstrating that artificial intelligence is increasingly being embedded directly into commercial products and industrial environments.

Despite this progress, several fundamental challenges remain across the region, particularly in system integration, data quality and secure deployment.

These findings suggest that the biggest obstacle is no longer access to AI technology itself, but the ability to integrate, deploy and scale AI solutions effectively in real-world environments.

AI central to Vietnam's growth strategy

Vietnam's policy direction also reflects the growing strategic importance of AI.

Resolution 57 of the Communist Party's Politburo and subsequent central government conclusions identify science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as the primary drivers of a new economic growth model aimed at achieving double-digit growth in the coming years.

Within that framework, AI is regarded as one of the country's key strategic pillars, alongside semiconductors, data and digital transformation.

To help bridge the gap between innovation and practical implementation, the Edge & Beyond Tech Day conference and exhibition will be held in Hanoi on July 21 and Ho Chi Minh City on July 24.

The event will bring together technology partners across the AI ecosystem, providing a platform for industry experts, businesses and policymakers to discuss strategies for deploying AI and edge computing technologies more effectively in Vietnam.

Du Lam