Artificial Intelligence - Vietnam

Law No. 134/2025/QH15, passed by the National Assembly on 10 December 2025 and effective 1 March 2026, is Vietnam's first standalone statute governing the research, development, provision, deployment, and use of AI systems by both domestic and foreign entities.

Article 9 of the law classifies AI systems into three tiers — high, medium, and low risk — based on potential impact on human rights, safety, national security, and public interest. An additional 'unacceptable-risk' category triggers outright prohibition, with specifics detailed in a subordinate Prohibited Acts Decree.

Audio, image, and video content generated by AI must be conspicuously marked or labelled in a machine-readable format so that users can identify its artificial origin, establishing a mandatory watermarking/disclosure regime.

Foreign providers of high-risk AI systems subject to pre-market conformity assessments must establish a commercial presence in Vietnam or appoint an authorised local representative, mirroring obligations seen in the EU AI Act.

AI systems already operating before 1 March 2026 have a 12-month grace period (full compliance by 1 March 2027) for most sectors, extended to 18 months (by 1 September 2027) for systems in healthcare, education, and finance.

Decision No. 127/QĐ-TTg (26 January 2021) established Vietnam's National Strategy on Research, Development and Application of AI to 2030, targeting a top-4 ASEAN and top-50 global ranking in AI, and forming the policy foundation that preceded the 2025 law.