Vietnam’s ministry revamps AI strategy to enhance public sector efficiency

The Hanoi Times — The Ministry of Science and Technology is revising the National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable the government to take the lead in using AI for better services and efficiency.

Tran Anh Tu, Deputy Head of the ministry's Department of High Technology, shared this update at a seminar on "Al Landscape Assessment in the Public Sector in Vietnam" on March 18 in Hanoi.

Five key recommendations for AI development

At the event announcing the latest findings on the AI landscape, Tu highlighted the report's valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of AI implementation in the public sector and recommendations for strategic AI development.

The report, by the Institute for Policy Studies and Media Development (IPS), outlines five key recommendations, such as building digital capacity through data infrastructure and training, establishing a legal framework for accountability and data privacy, and encouraging public-private partnerships for customized AI solutions. It also emphasizes promoting open data governance to improve agency connectivity, and prioritizing ethical AI and risk management through oversight and transparency.

Speaking at the event, Nguyen Duc Lam, a member of the research team, said that Vietnam needs to adopt AI selectively and practically to avoid the trend of blindly-following technology.

He noted that the application of AI in the public sector has already shown potential with some initial successes. Various AI applications have been or will be implemented in central and local government agencies.

In the past two years, successful AI initiatives have emerged from the Supreme People's Court, the former Ministry of Information and Communications, and localities such as Hanoi, Danang, Hue, and Tay Ninh Province.

Lam highlighted the use of a virtual assistant for judges, which was developed in 2022 before the launch of ChatGPT and is based on traditional AI models. This assistant helps judges with tasks such as finding verdicts and summarizing documents, reducing their workload by up to 30%.

"Judges are faced with the meticulous task of publishing judgments on the Supreme Court website. With the virtual assistant, a simple case takes just a few minutes instead of a day as before," he said.

In the southern province of Tay Ninh, the integration of AI into surveillance cameras and its application for officials to process feedback and recommendations is an example of AI adoption.

Challenges to AI adoption in government

The report also highlights that the use of AI in the public sector can save resources and time while improving efficiency for both officials and agencies.

However, it identifies several challenges, including limited AI applications, misalignment with practice, lack of regulatory frameworks and guidance, and insufficient attention to AI risks. Moreover, financial constraints, data infrastructure issues, and human resource limitations pose significant hurdles.

To make AI practical, the report recommends that government agencies strengthen the skills for their staff, leverage expertise from the private sector, and encourage collaboration among stakeholders in AI development.

Do Thanh Huyen, policy analyst and program manager at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Vietnam, agreed with this recommendation, noting that the leadership's insufficient understanding of AI results in low investment in human resources and infrastructure.

"We will soon organize training sessions on AI for the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics to raise awareness among leaders," she said.

Patrick Haverman, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Vietnam, said that AI is changing the way we live, work, and govern. AI offers significant opportunities if used responsibly.

"As this AI landscape assessment highlights, Vietnam is at a pivotal moment. With the right strategy, investment and ethics, AI can be a powerful accelerator of national development and human progress," he said.

Nguyen Quang Dong, Director of IPS, said that AI applications in Vietnam's public sector would be of great help, particularly in enhancing policy-making capabilities, increasing work efficiency, and improving public service delivery.

"Therefore, each agency must unlock this potential by identifying its challenges to select the appropriate AI technology while assessing its internal readiness to develop an effective implementation roadmap," he said.

The research team conducted over 30 interviews with representatives from central and local government agencies, businesses and AI experts, supplemented by various research materials and official reports.