Hanoi (VNA) – Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening up unprecedented opportunities for Vietnam’s journalism and media sector, from improving content quality to amplifying social impact, enabling newsrooms to adapt to the digital age and meet the public’s growing demand for information.
The belief in the future of AI in media was echoed at the 2025 National Press Forum by managers, experts, and journalists during a crucial discussion session on AI and digital transformation.
At the event, Nguyen Quang Dong, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies and Media Development (IPS), cited findings from a joint survey by IPS, the Vietnam Journalists Association, and the Vietnam Digital Communications Association, showing that over 60% of media agencies had applied or planned to apply AI in 2024, double the figure from 2023.
However, most AI applications remain concentrated in content production, encompassing headline suggestions, summarisation, editing, spell-checking, image and video generation, and translation. The use of AI in deeper research, business modeling, or audience behaviour analysis remains very limited. This trend indicates a focus on individual journalists' tasks rather than newsroom-wide strategic transformation. Commonly used AI tools include ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and in-house software. Investment in AI remains modest, with most newsrooms spending less than 1 million VND (around 40 USD) per month or relying on free versions.
Dong identified three major issues hindering AI effectiveness in Vietnamese newsrooms: misplaced priorities (emphasising content production over business modeling, audience insight, and revenue generation); lack of an overarching strategy (AI adoption is largely spontaneous and fragmented across departments, rather than implemented at the organisational level); and resource limitations (including financial constraints and a shortage of AI-literate personnel). Collecting, storing, and analysing audience behaviour data for personalised content delivery remains a major challenge.
To address these challenges, he suggested a strategic and comprehensive approach to AI. He said AI should be used not only to boost productivity, but also to attract and retain audiences and develop new revenue streams, especially as traditional advertising declines and traffic shifts from search engines to AI platforms. Newsrooms need a clear AI roadmap, tech investment strategy, and internal policies, including risk management and ethical guidelines. He proposed that the Vietnam Journalists Association issue an industry-wide code of conduct on responsible AI use.
Dinh Toan Thang, Chairman of DIBIZ, a cybersecurity and anti-disinformation firm, highlighted the dangers of AI-generated disinformation and advocated for a technological, organisational, and ethical framework that would help newsrooms build a "media immunity system."
In Vietnam, disinformation often revolves around online scams, fake health product ads, false political news, and distorted content. He stressed that the media must combat this problem using AI-powered verification tools such as Google Fact Check and extend verification processes to include images, audio, and video.
AI presents tremendous potential for increasing productivity, streamlining content creation, and delivering personalised user experiences. However, experts asserted that many Vietnamese news organisations may be misdirecting their AI efforts, lacking a coherent business-oriented strategy. Additionally, the press must remain vigilant against disinformation risks, Thang noted./.
