The Digital Shift: Vietnam’s AI Revolution and Its Gaps
As Vietnam advances its digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) plays a pivotal role in the nation’s vision for future growth. The government’s focus on digital technologies is encapsulated in the recently passed Law on Digital Technology Industry, which aims to position AI and semiconductor technology at the heart of Vietnam’s economic progress. This law reflects Vietnam’s ambition to harness AI’s potential to drive innovation and boost global competitiveness.
However, as the country embraces digital solutions, the question remains: how inclusive is Vietnam’s AI governance? While the nation emphasizes fairness and accessibility, the focus has largely been on the broader citizenry. Yet, those from marginalized communities, particularly people with disabilities, often find themselves overlooked in these sweeping digital strategies.
The absence of concrete efforts to address this gap poses a significant challenge. If left unaddressed, Vietnam’s digital future could inadvertently exclude the very people it aims to uplift. Thus, the true test of Vietnam’s AI governance lies in ensuring it benefits all citizens, regardless of ability or background.
Unseen Voices: The Limits of Vietnam’s AI Policies
Vietnam’s AI and digital policies are primarily aimed at fostering national growth and global competitiveness. A significant focus is placed on developing AI, cloud computing, and other emerging technologies. These sectors are viewed as essential to the nation’s digital future, with large investments directed toward them. However, the policies often overlook the diverse needs of Vietnam’s entire population, particularly vulnerable groups.
While these strategies emphasize inclusivity, their scope is largely generalized. Government documents frequently use phrases like “all citizens” or “everyone” to convey fairness. Yet, these statements often fail to address the specific barriers faced by marginalized communities. The assumption that everyone can equally access and benefit from digital technologies falls short when applied to real-world disparities.
One area where these gaps are most evident is in the treatment of people with disabilities. Despite the government’s emphasis on inclusivity, policies rarely tackle the specific challenges that disabled individuals face. The lack of accessibility in digital platforms and AI technologies remains a significant barrier for this group. Basic accommodations such as screen readers or voice recognition tools are often absent from government services and commercial apps.
Further compounding this issue is the fact that disability is often grouped with other vulnerable groups in policy documents. This broad categorization fails to account for the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities. A blind person, for example, will encounter very different obstacles than an elderly individual struggling with digital literacy. Without a nuanced understanding of these challenges, AI governance risks overlooking their needs altogether.
The current legal framework, while progressive in some ways, continues to treat disability as a matter of protection. This protective approach focuses on safeguarding people from the risks posed by AI, but it does little to empower them. It assumes that vulnerability can be mitigated by shielding people from technology, rather than by equipping them to engage with it meaningfully.
Moreover, the lack of proactive measures for inclusion contributes to a system that leaves people with disabilities on the periphery of technological progress. If AI is to become a driving force for national development, it must be harnessed in ways that specifically uplift marginalized groups. This requires deliberate, inclusive policy planning that goes beyond surface-level protections.
At present, Vietnam’s AI policies have yet to fully embrace the principle of equal access for all. The country’s digital future cannot be truly inclusive if these systemic gaps continue to persist. Without addressing the needs of people with disabilities, Vietnam risks creating a digital divide that leaves a significant portion of its population behind.
Beyond Protection: Rethinking Inclusive AI Governance
Vietnam’s current AI governance model focuses largely on protection, aiming to shield vulnerable groups from potential harms. This approach, while well-meaning, often overlooks the importance of empowerment. Protection alone does not equip people with disabilities to actively engage with digital technologies. Empowerment, through education and access, is crucial for enabling true participation in the digital age.
The current model adopts a one-size-fits-all approach, which harms rather than helps marginalized communities. Treating all vulnerable groups the same way fails to recognize their distinct needs and challenges. For example, the needs of a person with a physical disability differ significantly from those of someone with a cognitive disability. By grouping all these issues under a single umbrella, policies risk missing the mark entirely.
A deeper understanding of disability is essential for creating effective AI policies. Disabilities are not monolithic, and each type presents unique challenges in accessing and interacting with technology. For example, people with visual impairments require different accommodations than those with hearing impairments. Policies must address these distinctions in a meaningful way to ensure that AI truly benefits all users.
Additionally, the current focus on protection may inadvertently reinforce the idea that people with disabilities are merely passive recipients of aid. This approach risks perpetuating a mindset of dependency rather than independence. True inclusion means empowering individuals with the skills, tools, and opportunities to interact with AI technologies on their terms.
To create inclusive AI governance, Vietnam must move beyond protectionist policies. It should adopt strategies that focus on empowering marginalized groups through targeted initiatives. This includes providing accessible digital education, improving the accessibility of AI tools, and ensuring that people with disabilities are involved in the creation and deployment of AI technologies.
Only by empowering people with disabilities, and not just protecting them, can Vietnam ensure that its digital future is truly inclusive. The goal should be to create a system where all citizens, regardless of ability, can thrive in the AI-driven world.
Redesigning AI Governance: From Protection to Empowerment
Rethinking AI governance in Vietnam is essential to ensure that marginalized communities are not merely protected, but empowered. Moving beyond the focus on risk mitigation, policies must prioritize providing tools for independence. True empowerment comes from ensuring that all individuals, including those with disabilities, can actively engage with digital technologies. This shift will require a fundamental change in how AI governance is approached.
One powerful concept that can guide this shift is digital citizenship. Digital citizenship emphasizes the rights and responsibilities of individuals to actively participate in the digital world. By integrating this concept into AI governance, Vietnam can foster a sense of ownership and agency among its citizens. For people with disabilities, digital citizenship would mean having equal access to the tools and skills necessary to navigate AI-driven spaces.
To create a more inclusive digital landscape, actionable steps must be taken to integrate inclusive design into AI technologies. Accessibility features like screen readers, voice commands, and customizable user interfaces should be standard in all digital platforms. These features should not be seen as optional or expensive add-ons, but as essential components of responsible design. Developers and policymakers must ensure that inclusive design practices are embedded in the very foundation of AI technologies.
In addition to technical solutions, there is also a need for widespread education on digital inclusion. Training programs should be offered to people with disabilities to ensure they can navigate digital tools confidently. Educational institutions and technology companies should collaborate to create accessible learning environments that cater to diverse needs. This would empower individuals to make informed decisions about how they engage with AI.
Finally, including people with disabilities in the creation and deployment of AI technologies is crucial. They should be involved in decision-making processes to ensure that their unique needs are addressed from the outset. This collaborative approach will help create technologies that are more universally accessible and supportive of diverse user needs.
Building a Digital Future That Works for Everyone
Inclusive AI governance is critical for Vietnam’s digital future. As the nation advances into the digital age, it must ensure that all citizens, especially marginalized groups, are not left behind. The goal should be to create an environment where everyone has the tools to thrive in an AI-driven world. This requires moving beyond policies focused solely on protection and embracing a more inclusive approach that fosters empowerment.
For Vietnam to achieve this, stronger commitments to transparency and participation are essential. Policies must be shaped with input from diverse groups, including people with disabilities, to ensure they address real needs. True empowerment comes when individuals are not just passive recipients of aid, but active participants in the digital ecosystem. This shift will require government agencies, tech companies, and civil society to work together toward a more inclusive future.
Equitable access to AI is not just a matter of fairness, but of resilience. In a rapidly evolving digital world, a society that leaves behind any group is one that risks its own stability. Ensuring that all citizens have access to AI tools and education will strengthen Vietnam’s social fabric and ensure that its digital future is sustainable.
Ultimately, an inclusive AI strategy will help build a digital society that is fair, resilient, and capable of adapting to the challenges ahead. By prioritizing empowerment, transparency, and participation, Vietnam can chart a path toward a digital future that benefits everyone.
