On April 21, 2026, Hanoi Open University will organize an international conference with the theme "Digital Economy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence".
The conference was organized in a direct combined online format, attracting nearly 400 scientists, leading professors, scholars, experts, and lecturers from home and abroad.
Not only stopping at updating trends, the conference also raised core issues: How to make Vietnam take advantage of AI as a driving force for digital economy development, while controlling institutional, market and social risks.
Speaking at the conference, Dr. Bui Thanh Son - Vice Rector of Hanoi Open University - emphasized that AI is fundamentally changing the structure of the economy, from production methods to consumption and management methods.
Dr. Bui Thanh Son said that the digital economy is no longer an option but has become an "inevitable development axis", requiring the synchronous involvement of the state, businesses and educational institutions.
In that context, universities play a role in providing flexible human resources, quickly adapting to technological changes.
Speaking in the introduction, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Head of the Faculty of Economics - raised the issue that Vietnam is facing a "window of opportunity" to break through but also faces the risk of lagging behind if it does not promptly improve institutions and enhance endogenous capacity.
Ms. Huong believes that the digital economy is not just a story of technology, but also a story of policies, data, and people, three pillars that need to be developed synchronously.
Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Norjaya Mohd Yasin (Open University of Malaysia) gave an opinion based on approaching AI from a market perspective, especially marketing.
She believes that AI is "personalizing" customer experience at an unprecedented level but also eroding the boundary between persuasion and manipulation. This poses new requirements for business ethics and consumer protection.
A noteworthy point in Professor Dr. Norjaya Mohd Yasin's analysis is that small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for the majority in Vietnam, can take advantage of AI to narrow the gap with large corporations, but only when they have access to data and appropriate tools.
From a social perspective, Professor Dr. Joane V. Serrano (Open University of the Philippines) emphasized that AI is only truly meaningful when it contributes to building an inclusive society. She emphasized the role of open education in democratizing knowledge, helping all classes have access to digital skills but at the same time warning about the risk of "new generation digital inequality" when people without technological skills will be marginalized.
From the presentations of domestic and international experts, many issues of institutions, human resources and social justice in digital economic development continue to be raised.
Many important perspectives, from macro policies to business practice and education. However, according to experts, the biggest challenge still lies in the implementation stage. Without an effective coordination mechanism and strong commitment from stakeholders, the ideas at the conference may only stop at the recommendation level.
