AI transformation is only effective when it starts from the organization’s internal capabilities

This was the key message emphasized at the recent “Unlocking AI Roadmap: From Insight to Impact” conference hosted by Viettel AI in Hanoi. The event provided a comprehensive perspective on how AI is reshaping operational models and supporting leadership in decision-making during the digital era. The speakers not only shared global technology trends but also clarified the roadmap for implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in practice in Vietnam, especially in areas such as business management and public services.

The need for a simple, applicable AI framework for Vietnamese enterprises

The global landscape shows that AI is no longer a concept of the future, it has become a core element in the development strategies of organizations. Mr. Hoang Hung Hai, Product Director at Qualcomm Vietnam, emphasized: “AI is truly reshaping how the world operates. Global organizations are rapidly integrating this technology into every practical operation.” He noted that 87% of businesses worldwide have already implemented AI into their operations or services. The number of AI-integrated devices surpassed 4 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach 8.4 billion between 2024 and 2025.

This demonstrates that AI is no longer an option. It’s a strategic foundation. However, for Vietnamese enterprises, the challenge lies in how to approach it, how not to be trapped by global models when local conditions are vastly different.

At the conference, Ms. Vu Thi Hanh, Solution Consulting Expert at Viettel AI, pointed out a notable reality: nearly 98% of active enterprises in Vietnam are small and medium-sized (SMEs), and they face significant difficulties in applying AI, including limited resources, scattered data, and a lack of specialized AI capabilities. While large corporations often adopt internationally recognized AI maturity frameworks or seek guidance from global consulting firms and success stories, SMEs still struggle to find answers to the core questions: Where to start? What roadmap to follow?

Ms. Vu Thi Hanh, AI Solutions Expert at Viettel AI, shared about the AI deployment roadmap for Vietnamese businesses

Ms. Vu Thi Hanh stressed that comprehensive smart transformation must begin with digital transformation. First, businesses need to focus on essential areas such as data management and storage, building data lakes and data warehouses, process automation (RPA), and developing enterprise management software (e.g., ERP, CRM). Based on these foundations, AI applications in governance, business operations, or vertical sectors such as telecommunications, retail, logistics, and healthcare can be effectively implemented.

To support Vietnamese businesses in gradually and effectively adopting AI, Ms. Hanh introduced the development of a compact, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-apply AI transformation framework, yet one that fully meets evaluation criteria tailored to the Vietnamese context. This framework includes six pillars and four maturity levels, along with an AI maturity assessment toolkit. It was carefully developed by studying and adapting global models, selecting and refining core criteria that are more practical for local enterprises. It is also accompanied by a “user manual”, a specific action plan that guides businesses step-by-step toward comprehensive and sustainable transformation outcomes.

Government agencies also need an AI maturity roadmap

In addition to businesses, Viettel AI has also designed a smart transformation roadmap specifically for the public administration sector. According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, a Solution Consultant at Viettel AI, implementing AI in the public sector should not follow enterprise frameworks or models from more developed markets in a rigid manner. Government agencies require a tailored roadmap suitable to their organizational characteristics, operational capabilities, and current level of digital maturity.

Based on hands-on experience working with multiple ministries, sectors, and localities, Mr. Kien introduced an AI maturity model built on six pillars: strategy, people, data, process, technology, and ethics. This model comprises five development levels: planning, piloting, stabilizing, scaling, and full transformation. It helps agencies identify their starting point and roll out AI initiatives step by step from raising awareness and standardizing processes, to integrating data, adopting advanced technologies, and making intelligent, data-driven decisions.

The Ho Chi Minh City Executive Management System on a digital platform is one of the effective digital transformation solutions in the public sector implemented by Viettel.

In reality, Viettel AI has implemented numerous AI transformation solutions for both enterprises and government organizations, yielding remarkable results. For example, the Viettel IPA platform helps automate tasks such as document approval, data aggregation, and customer response common bottlenecks that can be efficiently addressed with AI. In the public sector, the online reporting system for the Ministry of Information and Communications has completely digitized the report compilation process, enabling "input once - use many times," and ensuring transparency and timely data access.

Closing the conference, Mr. Hoang Ngoc Duong, Deputy Director of Viettel AI, affirmed that AI is not merely a technological race, it is a journey of transformation in mindset and operational capability. On this journey, Viettel AI positions itself not just as a solution provider but as a comprehensive partner, supporting organizations across strategy, technology, and capacity transfer. “We understand that not all organizations are 100% ready. But with the right roadmap, clear goals, and suitable partners, any organization can master AI in their own way,” Mr. Duong emphasized.

Viettel AI is a subsidiary of Viettel Group, pioneering the development and mastery of products and services in AI, Big Data, Robotics, and Digital Twin technologies. Today, the Viettel AI ecosystem includes many leading products in Vietnam, trusted and used by major domestic and international organizations and enterprises.