Customer service, marketing, and communications are the areas where artificial intelligence (AI) is most widely used in online business activities in Vietnam.

A report released on April 9 by Lazada, titled “Bridging the AI Gap: Awareness and Adoption Trends among Online Sellers in Southeast Asia,” revealed that Vietnam and Indonesia lead Southeast Asia in the application of AI in e-commerce.

According to the report, both Vietnam and Indonesia reported AI usage rates of 42% in business operations, followed by Singapore and Thailand at 39%.

The findings show that online sellers across Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly familiar with AI, with nearly 7 out of 10 (68%) saying they understand the technology. In Vietnam, the rate is even higher, with almost 8 out of 10 (77%) sellers reporting familiarity with AI - well above the regional average.

However, although sellers believe AI has been integrated into about 47% of their business operations, the actual figure is only 37%. This indicates a significant gap between perceived and actual AI implementation.

This gap also exists in Vietnam, where actual usage stands at 42% compared to the perceived 53%. Still, Vietnamese online sellers are among the top adopters of AI in the region.

Many sellers also face challenges in assessing the effectiveness of AI and its cost impact. While 89% acknowledge AI’s role in improving work efficiency, nearly two-thirds (61%) still doubt its overall usefulness.

Additionally, while 93% of sellers agree that AI can reduce long-term costs, 64% remain concerned about the cost and time required to integrate the technology.

In Vietnam, online sellers tend to view AI more positively (94%), especially for boosting productivity, and are less concerned about the associated costs and time (35%).

The report also highlights a gap between awareness and implementation: while sellers recognize AI’s importance, many still lack the know-how to implement it effectively. The main barrier lies in transitioning from familiar manual processes to AI-powered solutions.

Although 93% agree that upskilling employees in AI is vital to improve productivity, 75% admit their staff still prefer using traditional tools over new AI-based solutions.

The report categorizes sellers into three groups based on their level of AI adoption across five key business functions: operations and logistics, product management, marketing and advertising, customer service, and human resources.

The first group is “AI-proficient sellers,” who have integrated AI into at least 80% of their operations. In Vietnam, only about one-fifth (22%) fall into this group, slightly below the regional average of 24%.

The second group is “AI-interested sellers,” who have adopted AI in some areas but struggle to apply it consistently across key functions. This group represents the majority in Vietnam, accounting for 64% of sellers (compared to 50% regionally).

The final group is “AI-cautious sellers,” who make up the remaining 14% in Vietnam (compared to 26% regionally). These sellers are considered lagging behind, with most of their operations still handled manually.

Most online sellers in Vietnam are still in the early stages of AI adoption, with 78% falling into the “interested” or “cautious” categories. In Vietnam, AI is more commonly applied to customer-facing functions such as customer service, marketing, and advertising (43%), compared to operational tasks like logistics (38%).

While AI knowledge in Vietnam remains lower than in other regional markets, a stronger focus on training and upskilling is expected to help local online sellers solidify their leadership in Southeast Asia’s e-commerce landscape.

Le My