HCMC – Startups in Vietnam are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) faster and using it more creatively than larger firms, creating what researchers call a “two-tier” economy that could shape the country’s future growth, Amazon Web Services (AWS) said.
An AWS study released at the AWS Cloud Day Vietnam event held in Hanoi City on September 18 showed that 18% of businesses in Vietnam now use AI, up from 13% last year. In 2024 alone, about 47,000 firms adopted AI, equivalent to more than five every hour.
While overall adoption is rising, 74% of companies still use AI mainly for efficiency and process improvements. Only 17% have reached an intermediate stage, and 9% treat AI as a core part of their products or business models.
Startups are moving faster. Fifty-five percent of them use AI, with 35% creating new AI-driven products. By contrast, 41% of large enterprises deploy AI, but just 11% are building new products, and only 12% have a comprehensive strategy.
“This ‘two-tier’ AI economy could have lasting implications on Vietnam’s economic development,” said Nick Bonstow, director at Strand Partners, which conducted the research with AWS.
The report also found that 61% of firms using AI reported a 16% revenue increase, while 58% expected 20% in cost savings. But skills shortages remain a barrier, with 55% of businesses citing a lack of talent and many saying they would pay 40% more to hire workers with AI skills.
Companies also said they spent 18% of their budgets on compliance-related costs, with 71% expecting the figure to rise. Many hoped new regulations would build customer confidence and provide stability.
“Vietnamese businesses show strong AI innovation adoption, but larger enterprises face barriers to deeper implementation,” said Eric Yeo, country general manager at AWS Vietnam. “To maintain Vietnam’s competitive position globally, government and industry must address these specific challenges.”
AWS said it has trained more than 100,000 people in cloud and AI in Vietnam since 2017 and launched its “AI Ready” program in 2023 to offer free courses, including 30 in Vietnamese.
