INCREASE DIGITAL CONVERSION RANKINGS
While AI is still a new concept for the majority of Vietnamese people, the feature of reading newspapers using AI was officially launched in Lao Dong Electronic Newspaper on May 17, 2019. Instead of reading with the eyes, Lao Dong readers now have more experiences of listening to completely automatic newspapers.
Along with integrating AI to support editing in the electronic news management system or applying AI in the news production process to create newsletters using virtual editors, Lao Dong Newspaper continues to be one of the few pioneering press agencies applying artificial intelligence in translating Vietnamese articles into English. The articles on the English version of Lao Dong Newspaper will appear simultaneously with the Vietnamese version on the page, thanks to completely automatic artificial intelligence (AI) translation. Through the cms system, AI software will process Vietnamese articles published on the electronic version of Lao Dong Newspaper. The translation of articles will be based on criteria for suitability to political language, ensuring the meaning of sentences.
Not only owning and mastering 100% of AI technology, thanks to training and controlling AI models, the translation of articles on Lao Dong dien tu does not only stop at translating from word to word but also accurately translating according to grammar and context. The English version of Lao Dong Electronic is Lao Dong's first step on the roadmap to translate articles into many different languages at the same time to reach international readers around the world.
The rapid transformation and timely application of new digital technologies such as AI in Lao Dong's press activities are clearly recognized with the remarkable change in the National Press Digital Transformation picture in 2024. In this picture, Lao Dong Newspaper attracted much attention when it achieved the excellent level and increased by two ranks from No. 3 in 2023 to No. 1 to lead the Central press agencies in the level of maturity in digital transformation of the press.
Mr. Le Quoc Minh - Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan Newspaper, Chairman of the Vietnam Journalists Association - acknowledged the spirit and efforts of central and local press agencies in the digital transformation process are no longer in the plan and orientation but have the beginning of digital transformation. As for Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Minh said that this is a unit with a long tradition of originating from print newspapers but has strong digital transformation and achieved excellent results, demonstrated through the leading results of the Central press agencies in Digital Transformation in 2024. This is an encouraging achievement.
AND VIETNAMESE POSITION IN THE WORLD AI INDEX TABLE
Onecms' in-depth report on AI in journalism shows that Vietnam is actively implementing AI-based solutions in journalism, including automated editing, public trend analysis and information testing. A strong focus is on responsible AI application, in line with professional ethics and social benefits. The motivation comes from the fact that AI helps journalism reduce meticulous, time-consuming work and can do some things that cannot be done effectively if using conventional labor.
Along with pioneering press agencies and actively applying new digital technologies, Vietnam also made an outstanding mark thanks to a vibrant, open, enthusiastic and confident urban population. Notably, Vietnam is still surpassing many developed countries in terms of interest and positive attitude towards AI. From curiosity to optimism, Vietnam is showing clear signs of a country ready to welcome and take advantage of opportunities in the AI era.
With these marks, the WIN Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (Worldwide Independent Market Research Network) has just recorded Vietnam as ranked 6th out of 40 countries and territories, reaching 69.2 points on a scale of 100. Vietnam is also ranked 3rd globally in terms of Trust Level (65.6 points) and 5th in terms of AI Acceptance Level (71.6 points). The indicators of interest, comfort when using and awareness of the usefulness of Vietnamese people in AI are also above the global average.
Mr. Xavier Depouilly - General Director of Indochina Research Vietnam, commented: Although the frequency of use is still lower than some countries in the region, the young generation of Vietnam is ready to welcome new technology. That plays an important role in the country's rapid economic growth and digital transformation. Many initiatives in Vietnam are even helping users jump technology, easily ignoring old technologies to quickly access modern AI applications.
CLEAR ROADMAP AND METHODICAL INVESTMENT REQUIREMENTS
Onecms acknowledged that Vietnam's approach to AI in journalism is characterized by a proactive stance on ethical and responsible implementation, often driven by government initiatives and international cooperation, which is in contrast to the more unofficial global trend. The emphasis on " strict legal and ethical framework" shows a conscious effort to reduce the risks of AI from the beginning, positioning Vietnam as a leader in developing responsible AI in the region. The focus of this proactive policy is a significant difference.
However, Onecms points to the current application rate (25-35% of editors/reportors) showing that the extensive integration of AI in Vietnamese journalism is still in the early stages. This shows that despite a clear vision, practical implementation faces significant obstacles related to infrastructure, human resources and financial investment, requiring continued strategic planning and resource allocation.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Dong - Director of the Institute for Policy Research and Communications Development (IPS) - also said that the rate of AI use for research, data synthesis, or serving business problems and analyzing readers at Vietnamese press agencies is still very low, showing a large gap in exploiting the strategic potential of AI. To solve the above situation, the IPS Director suggested that press agencies need to approach AI in a comprehensive and strategic way, focusing on the impact of AI on business models (attracting, retaining readers, generating revenue). This requires a clear roadmap, proper investment, issuance of internal policies and building a code of conduct on AI for reporters and editors, while also setting a general rule for the entire industry.
