Autumn Economic Forum 2026: AI Must Deliver Real Value

Held in Ho Chi Minh City from October 26 to 29, the Autumn Economic Forum 2026 brought together government leaders, international organizations, experts and the business community to discuss new growth drivers amid rapid changes in the global economy. Artificial intelligence (AI) remained a central focus, with expectations that it would drive improvements in productivity, competitiveness and growth models.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng’s message about moving beyond “investing in Vietnam” to “investing with Vietnam” also raised an important question for the technology sector: Vietnam needs to steadily strengthen its ability to master technology, develop high-value products and participate more deeply in global value chains. This need is especially clear in AI, as the market shifts from exploring the technology to seeking concrete economic value.

AI Must Be Measured by Business Performance

AI is being applied across a range of activities, from sales and customer service to data management and automation. For businesses, however, technology’s value needs to be reflected in concrete metrics such as revenue, costs, productivity and operational efficiency.

This means businesses need to clearly define the problem they want to solve before choosing a technology. AI must be integrated into the right processes, use relevant data and align with specific business goals. Instead of deploying multiple standalone tools, businesses need a focused implementation roadmap, with return on investment as the basis for measuring success.

The Challenge for Technology Companies: Bringing Products to Market

Technology companies and AI startups, in turn, must find ways to turn research capabilities into products with commercial potential. A solution with promising technology still needs to be validated against market demand, its suitability for specific industries and its ability to be deployed at scale.

Vietnam’s market has distinctive characteristics in language, data and operational processes. These present challenges in product development, while also giving local technology companies an opportunity to build an advantage through their understanding of the market. Competitiveness therefore depends on three factors: technology, the ability to solve customer problems and a scalable business model.

Mastering Technology to Strengthen Vietnam’s Competitiveness

AI development needs an ecosystem involving technology companies, startups, investors and organizations that apply AI. These connections can help narrow the gap between research, product development, deployment and commercialization.

A notable example is the collaboration between GO4AI and Easy AI, connecting AI solution development capabilities with experience in consulting, training and implementation in business environments. Partnerships like this help bridge the gap between technology and real-world needs, enabling businesses to access solutions suited to their operational requirements and gradually integrate AI into their business activities.

In the long term, Vietnam’s opportunity in AI lies in its ability to master technology, develop competitive products and deploy solutions at scale. When AI delivers measurable results for businesses, it can become a genuine driver of economic growth.