You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

September 22, 2025

Vietnam’s AI Push: Updated National Strategy and First AI Law by End of 2025

Subscribe to Updates

On September 15, 2025, Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced that the country will issue an updated version of its National AI Strategy (first issued in 2021) and its first-ever AI Law by the end of this year. The ministry emphasized that the AI strategy is not just a legal framework, but a commitment to embracing AI to drive Vietnam into a new era.

The AI adoption plan is set as a priority of the country, and marks a significant step in shaping Vietnam’s AI governance and innovation landscape. Highlights of the plan include the following:

  • Strategic vision. Vietnam’s ambition is to leverage AI for economic growth, social development, and global competitiveness, under the guiding principle “AI for humans – safe, autonomous, cooperative, inclusive, and sustainable.”
  • AI as national infrastructure. The updated strategy positions AI as core national infrastructure, comparable to electricity or the internet, aiming to provide every citizen with a “personal digital assistant.”
  • Core principles for AI legislation. The AI Law will be built around the following six core principles:
    1. Risk-based regulation
    2. Transparency and accountability
    3. Human-centric development
    4. Domestic AI autonomy
    5. AI as a driver of sustainable growth
    6. Digital sovereignty, with data, infrastructure, and AI technology being three strategic pillars
  • Ethics and openness. A National AI Ethics Code will accompany the upcoming law, aligned with international standards but tailored to the Vietnamese context. The government emphasizes open standards and open-source development.
  • Market development and incentives. The government plans to expand domestic AI adoption, particularly in public services and key industries. The National Technology Innovation Fund (NATIF) will allocate at least 40% of its budget to AI projects, prioritizing SMEs through vouchers for locally developed AI solutions.

Background on AI Law Development

Regulations on AI are found in various Vietnamese laws and regulations, notably the recently adopted Law on Digital Technology Industry (DTI Law). However, these provisions are fragmented and not comprehensive. Accordingly, the government is developing a dedicated AI Law, which is expected to be adopted by the end of 2025. It is anticipated that the AI Law will build on the principles and requirements currently set out, and provide more detailed regulations.

The DTI Law introduces:

  • AI system categories (high‑risk, high‑impact, other), with stricter obligations for higher‑risk systems.
  • Identification requirements, such as disclosing when users interact with AI and including identifiable markers on certain AI‑generated digital products.
  • Principles on transparency, explainability, accountability, safety/security, lifecycle risk management, consumer protection, and data/privacy compliance.
  • Incentives for AI research and development (R&D), AI data centers, and high‑quality AI talent (including visa and tax benefits).

Outlook

As Vietnam’s AI strategy and legal framework evolve, companies can consider the following actions to prepare for effective compliance:

  • Mapping their AI systems and intended uses in Vietnam; conducting preliminary risk and impact screening for systems that may be classified as “high‑risk” or “high‑impact.”
  • Preparing for user disclosure/marking of AI interactions and potential product identification requirements.
  • Tightening data governance and Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) compliance (consents/notices, opt‑out for AI/machine learning R&D where applicable, security controls).
  • Continuing to monitor forthcoming implementing decrees/circulars under the DTI Law and the upcoming AI Law and National AI Ethics Code, and aligning internal AI policies accordingly.
  • Assessing eligibility for incentives (AI R&D, data centers, digital tech zones) and for NATIF funding and SME vouchers.
  • Planning for infrastructure needs and potential use of Vietnam‑based computer/data resources consistent with “digital sovereignty” objectives.
Related Professionals

Industries

Technology

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

January 21, 2026
Spurred by global geopolitics and Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, which aims to forge deeper ties with ASEAN, Canadian companies have been showing growing interest in Thailand and Southeast Asia in recent years. To understand the opportunities offered by the region, we sat down with Andrew Stoutley, a Toronto native and the chief operating officer of Tilleke & Gibbins, a leading Southeast Asian regional law firm with over 130 years of history in Thailand. Q: Why are Canadian companies looking at Thailand and Southeast Asia right now? A: Two reasons stand out. First, diversification has moved up the agenda. Many Canadian companies want options outside North America due to tariff volatility and policy uncertainty in the United States, as well as questions around the next Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement mandatory joint review. At the same time, the shift of global production from China to Southeast Asia is accelerating, driven by rising costs, geopolitics, and the need to avoid overreliance on a single market. As a result, Canadian companies are looking for a second production base or a regional hub, and Thailand and its neighbors are natural choices given their manufacturing depth, location, and established supply chains. Second, Canada’s own efforts in the region are gaining traction. The Indo-Pacific Strategy has led to more on-the-ground support, including larger trade missions, upgraded diplomatic posts, and new financing options. Export Development Canada (EDC) now has a presence in Bangkok, giving Canadian companies a direct line to financing and insurance in Thailand. There’s also steady progress on trade frameworks like the recently signed Canada–Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (which will come into effect pending domestic procedures), ongoing negotiations of a Canada–ASEAN FTA, and the exciting announcement about the launch of negotiations of a Canada–Thailand FTA. Together, these developments have the potential to make it much easier
Read More
January 13, 2026
On January 9, 2026, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a criminal complaint with the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) against five individuals for unauthorized operation of a digital-asset dealer business under the Emergency Decree on Digital Asset Businesses B.E. 2561 (2018). This precedent-setting case signals that the regulator is willing to pursue crypto enforcement against natural persons even in the absence of a licensed platform entity. Background and Implications The case follows the SEC’s October 2025 public warning about the use of iris-scanning technology in exchange for certain digital tokens. In its warning, the SEC cautioned that exchanging or trading these specific tokens with unlicensed service providers exposes users to heightened fraud, scam, and money laundering risks. Unlike prior regulatory enforcement matters, which involved platform-level administrative fines for operational or compliance failures, this case targets misconduct by individuals who may not be professional traders but openly advertised their willingness to buy these tokens from the public, opened individual over-the-counter (OTC) trade channels for these tokens, and facilitated off-exchange transactions in a manner resembling ordinary commercial dealing. This enforcement action establishes a clear precedent that natural persons engaging in public-facing digital-asset dealing may face criminal liability under Thai law, even without operating through a corporate or licensed platform structure. Outlook The alleged offenders may not settle this crime by payment of fines. Following the SEC’s referral, the ECD will undertake further investigation, after which prosecutors may review the case and proceed to court. The SEC has stated that it will cooperate fully with enforcement agencies throughout the criminal enforcement process.
Read More
January 9, 2026
Vietnam has taken a decisive step into the global artificial intelligence regulatory landscape with the promulgation of the Law on Artificial Intelligence No. 134/2025/QH15 (AI Law), adopted on December 10, 2025, and effective from March 1, 2026. As one of the earliest comprehensive, standalone AI statutes in Southeast Asia, the AI Law signals Vietnam’s ambition to position itself as both an innovation-friendly and governance-conscious AI market. In doing so, the legislature has also streamlined Vietnam’s AI regulatory architecture. The AI Law repeals most AI-related provisions previously embedded in the Law on Digital Technology Industry No. 71/2025/QH15, consolidating AI governance under a single, unified legal framework. This structural move underscores an intent to provide greater regulatory clarity and coherence for businesses operating across the AI value chain. Against this backdrop, the key question for AI developers, providers, deployers, and governance teams is how the new risk-based framework will shape compliance expectations, operational decisions, and governance design in practice. This article examines the new AI Law through that practical lens, focusing on what it means for AI businesses operating in or into Vietnam. Scope of Application The AI Law applies broadly to Vietnamese organizations and individuals, as well as foreign entities that participate in AI-related activities within Vietnam. The law expressly excludes AI activities conducted solely for national defense, security, and cryptography purposes. A defining feature of the AI Law is that it regulates by role, not by industry. It distinguishes between: Developers, who design, build, train, test, or fine-tune AI models and have direct control over the technical methods, training data, or model parameters; Providers, who place AI systems on the market or put them into use under their own names; Deployers, who use AI systems under their control in professional, commercial, or service-provision activities; Users, who interact with AI
Read More
January 9, 2026
Thailand continues to advance its legal and regulatory framework for the technology sector, with several key laws undergoing review and proposed amendments. These developments reflect Thailand’s broader efforts to ensure that its regulatory landscape keeps pace with rapid technological change and aligns more closely with international standards and best practices. The following are key legal developments and proposed legislative reforms in 2026 that are expected to impact businesses operating in the technology sector and the broader Thai business landscape. Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019) Following the full enforcement of Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) in June 2022, businesses and practitioners have identified practical implementation challenges and interpretative issues. These challenges were reflected in an effectiveness assessment conducted by the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) in late 2024. The PDPC published a set of principles for public consultation to identify issues and directions for potential amendments to the PDPA. Key issues: Emerging issues include clarifying the definitions of “data controller,” “data processor,” and “criminal record”; revisiting the scope of sensitive personal data to better reflect Thailand’s context; proposing amendments to the hierarchy of legal bases to avoid misconceptions of consent as the default legal basis; and clarifying the required level of expressiveness for explicit consent, as well as rules for collecting personal data from other sources. Current status: The first round of public consultation has concluded. Next steps: The proposed amendments are proceeding to a revised draft following the consultation outcomes. Cybersecurity Act B.E. 2562 (2019) Thailand is moving forward with proposed amendments to enhance the effectiveness of its national cybersecurity framework, as evolving digital technologies bring new risks such as misinformation, system intrusions, and attacks on critical infrastructure, making cybersecurity a national priority. Key issues: The amendments aim to clarify and strengthen
Read More