AI is only effective when businesses master data and people

(Dan Tri) - According to ESG experts, AI can improve management performance, but can only be maximized when businesses have standardized data and a team with sufficient capacity to control and analyze.

By 2040, AI could contribute $130 billion to Vietnam's economy

According to the Vietnam AI Economy 2025 Report published by the National Innovation Center (NIC), artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a powerful driving force for transformation, reshaping the global economy and society. This technology not only promotes innovation and improves productivity, but also provides solutions to many complex challenges in various fields.

For countries like Vietnam, AI opens up strategic opportunities to accelerate growth, increase competitiveness and create a strong, future-proof economy. It is forecasted that by 2030, AI could contribute about $5 trillion to the global economy. Vietnam is considered the fastest growing digital economy in Southeast Asia with an annual growth rate of up to 20%.

AI could contribute about $5 trillion to the global economy (Photo: Freepik).

The Government has implemented many key policies such as Resolution 57/NQ-TW and the National Strategy on AI (Decision 127/QD-TTg) to promote comprehensive digital transformation.

According to estimates by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), by 2040, the AI ​​economy in Vietnam could reach 120-130 billion USD, of which about 45-55 billion USD will come from consumer revenue growth and 60-75 billion USD from profits thanks to productivity improvements. This is considered a "golden" time for businesses and policymakers to take advantage of AI potential, positioning Vietnam on the global digital economic map.

In Vietnam, AI has received positive reception from both people and businesses. Surveys show that 75% of Vietnamese people expressed enthusiasm for technology - a rate much higher than in many developed countries. Many businesses have begun integrating AI into their operations, from leaders to operations departments, using smart tools to improve performance and enhance decision-making quality.

In the logistics sector, the trend of applying 4.0 technology is taking place strongly. According to a survey by the Vietnam Logistics Services Association (VLA) in 2023, 65% of customers prioritize suppliers with environmental certification, and 47% of businesses have achieved ISO 14001 standards on environmental management.

In addition, 68% of medium and large logistics enterprises have applied IoT in warehouse and transportation management; 52% deployed Big Data and AI to forecast demand and optimize routes; 35% tested blockchain for traceability and supply chain management. The results show that applying 4.0 technology helps reduce logistics costs by an average of 23% and shorten order processing time by 35% compared to traditional methods.

AI is therefore increasingly mentioned as a powerful support tool for corporate governance, especially when the requirements for transparency, efficiency and sustainable development increase.

No matter how powerful AI is, it still needs human leadership.

Mr. Pham Viet Anh - Doctor of Environmental and Sustainability Management (DBA) said - in the process of accompanying a number of businesses to implement ESG strategies, he realized that most Vietnamese businesses are still in the early stages of the transformation process - including both digital transformation and green transformation.

In that picture, AI is just a tool in the digital transformation ecosystem, not a “one-stop” solution. The biggest barrier today is data quality and availability.

“AI cannot be effective if the input data is not good enough. Simply put, AI can only work well when it is fed with clean, complete and clearly structured data. If a business has not completed digital transformation, the data will still be fragmented or even outdated. At that time, AI will not be able to help solve the problem and sometimes will even create incorrect decisions,” he shared.

In reality, only a few large enterprises can proactively apply AI effectively, mainly those with strong technology foundations, such as corporations in the information technology sector. For them, AI is almost a core competency, which can be integrated into operations, finance, production or customer care.

Mr. Pham Viet Anh (Photo: Nam Anh).

However, for most remaining businesses, including big names in the manufacturing or consumer sectors, AI is still only being piloted in certain departments, without deep integration into the entire operating system. Even when these businesses are fully aware of the role of AI, its practical application is still limited by technical and financial resources, and especially human resources.

According to Mr. Viet Anh, relying solely on externally provided AI tools is not enough. Businesses need an internal team with sufficient knowledge to control, evaluate and effectively use AI analysis results. He cited that AI can now perform tasks such as analyzing financial data, evaluating environmental - social - governance (ESG) indicators, creating real-time reports... at speeds dozens of times faster than traditional financial experts.

However, all of those results need to be reviewed by humans to ensure accuracy and relevance to the specific context of each business. “AI can produce a financial report in minutes, something that previously took a team of experts several days to process. But without qualified people to review the results, businesses can completely make wrong decisions just because they trust this tool too much,” he emphasized.

This ESG expert also noted that integrating AI into the management system needs to be done systematically. If AI is only used in a simple “question-and-answer” way, businesses will not be able to exploit the depth of this tool. For AI to truly create value, there needs to be a close combination of standardized data, a stable technology system and human resources with the capacity to analyze, criticize and make decisions.

“AI is a very powerful tool that can measure a wide range of business metrics, from energy costs, emissions, regulatory compliance, to sales performance, capital turnover... But in the end, the decision makers must still be humans - people who understand their business, understand the market and are responsible for risks,” he said.

As a consultant for businesses implementing ESG, Mr. Pham Viet Anh believes that using AI effectively is not only a technological problem, but also a long-term strategy associated with sustainable development.

If businesses invest properly - in people, systems and data - AI will become an important tool to help improve performance, reduce risks and support faster and more accurate decision making. On the contrary, if businesses use AI superficially, without understanding and without controlling inputs and outputs, they will not only fail to take advantage of opportunities, but may also face significant operational risks.

AI makes work easier

Mr. Dang Bui Khue - Director of Sustainable Development TUV NORD Vietnam - shared that many businesses in Vietnam lack a centralized data collection system. Meanwhile, data plays an extremely important role in ESG implementation. To solve the data problem, businesses need to carry out digital transformation so that data is centralized.

“Digital transformation will help businesses collect data faster and with higher accuracy. From there, businesses can develop management and business strategies,” he emphasized.

Mr. Dang Bui Khue - Director of Sustainable Development TUV NORD Vietnam (Photo: NVCC).

According to him, during his consulting work for businesses, many accountants shared that thanks to AI, their work became easier. AI supports them in searching for tax documents, even calculating taxes very quickly. He said that many businesses in Vietnam have applied AI to their office management. However, the results achieved will depend on the purpose of use and the user.

For example, for him, AI helps him get things done 3-4 times faster than usual. Specifically, if during the ESG appraisal process, each industry group will have its own standards, he will have to read a lot of reports and laws. However, AI helps him find the specific regulations and standards of those industry groups just after entering the order.

In addition, AI helps him synthesize knowledge from many complex fields and can even provide problem-solving solutions for reference.

For example, when evaluating the oil and gas industry, he usually has to bring along technical staff. However, if the technical staff is not with him, he can use AI to search for the technology and basic knowledge of the industry, then make initial preliminary assessments.

In addition, he can use AI to remind work very effectively. He believes that applying AI to management does not cost too much, but is worth the investment for businesses. In the future, Vietnamese businesses will all need AI in management to increase work efficiency.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/ai-chi-hieu-qua-khi-doanh-nghiep-lam-chu-du-lieu-va-con-nguoi-20250808180422540.htm