Vietnam ranks third in Southeast Asia in digital, AI competitiveness

Vietnam ranked 37th out of 70 economies and third in Southeast Asia in its debut in the 2026 World Digital and Artificial Intelligence Competitiveness Ranking.

The country placed behind only Singapore and Malaysia among the six Southeast Asian economies assessed, according to results announced by the Ministry of Science and Technology in Hanoi on Nov. 11.

The ranking, known as WDAIR, is compiled by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

Vietnam ranked 13th in AI application, 15th in digital and AI governance, and 21st in efficiency, outperforming its overall position in all three categories.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung said the results provided an international benchmark for Vietnam to assess its capabilities and identify areas for improvement.

Dung attended the announcement alongside representatives of ministries, local authorities, research institutes, universities and businesses. Arturo Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center, joined online with other experts to explain the methodology and results.

Under Politburo Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, issued on Dec. 22, 2024, Vietnam aims to be among Southeast Asia’s top three countries and the world’s top 50 for digital competitiveness by 2030. The resolution calls for breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation.

The debut result provides a starting point for tracking progress toward those targets, though the overall ranking leaves room for improvement as competition in digital technology and AI intensifies.

Tran Minh Tan, deputy director of the Academy for Science and Technology Strategy, said participation in international rankings would help Vietnam adopt global assessment standards and improve its ability to coordinate survey data and analyze digital competitiveness.

The findings would be useful for policymaking only if applied with appropriate methods, Tan said. The academy plans to work with IMD and relevant agencies to study the results and propose measures to improve Vietnam’s competitiveness.

IMD’s World Competitiveness Center produces the ranking as part of its research into the competitiveness of economies. Its indices serve as international benchmarks.

IMD has published digital competitiveness rankings since 2017. In 2026, it expanded the assessment to include AI, evaluating 70 economies.

Alongside the Global Innovation Index, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization, WDAIR allows countries to compare their capabilities, identify strengths and weaknesses, and draw on international practices in digital technology and AI development.

The Ministry of Science and Technology plans to work with other ministries, local authorities, research institutes and businesses on measures to improve Vietnam’s digital competitiveness. Priorities include strengthening institutions, developing digital infrastructure, improving workforce skills and promoting AI adoption alongside research, development and technological capabilities.

The aim is to translate the findings into policies that improve productivity, governance and economic efficiency, rather than simply raise Vietnam’s position in the rankings.

Business & Integration - Vietnamese version: Việt Nam vào top 40 thế giới về năng lực cạnh tranh số và AI; reported by Linh Anh