HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam and Indonesia are at the forefront of AI integration in e-commerce in Southeast Asia, with 42 per cent adoption of AI across business functions, ahead of Singapore and Thailand, both at 39 per cent. 

The findings were published in the report 'Bridging the AI Divide: Online Seller Perceptions and Adoption Trends in Southeast Asia.'

The study reveals that online sellers in Southeast Asia have a certain level of familiarity with AI, with 68 per cent aware and knowing what it is about. In Việt Nam, this figure rises to 77 per cent, exceeding the regional average.

However, despite sellers in the region believing that AI has been integrated into around 47 per cent of their online business processes, the actual rate of application is only 37 per cent. 

This highlights a significant gap between claimed and actual adoption, underscoring the need for a strong support system to bridge disparities.

While this discrepancy is also evident in Việt Nam, with actual adoption at 42 per cent compared to a perceived 53 per cent, Vietnamese online sellers remain among the regional leaders in applying AI to their operations.

In Việt Nam, most online sellers are still in the early stages of incorporating AI into their businesses. Customer-facing functions, including customer service, marketing and advertising, at 43 per cent, have seen higher levels of AI adoption compared to back-end operations and logistics, at 38 per cent.

Online sellers face challenges in assessing AI’s effectiveness and cost implications. While 89 per cent acknowledge AI’s role in improving work efficiency, nearly two-thirds, 61 per cent, remain sceptical about its overall usefulness.

In Việt Nam, sellers generally have a more positive outlook on the AI’s benefits, at 94 per cent, recognising its value, especially in boosting productivity. They also show less concern over cost and time-related issues, at 35 per cent.

The study also highlights another gap: while sellers are aware of AI’s importance, many do not yet know how to implement it effectively. 

A key challenge lies in transitioning from familiar manual processes to AI-driven solutions. 93 per cent of respondents agreed that upskilling employees in AI is critical to improving productivity. However, 75 per cent admitted that their staff still prefer using familiar tools over adopting new AI-powered technologies.

Although AI knowledge in Việt Nam currently lags behind some countries in the region, with a strong focus on training and upskilling, Vietnamese online sellers have the potential to strengthen their position within the Southeast Asian market.

The report was conducted by Lazada in collaboration with Kantar, based on a survey of 1,214 e-commerce merchants across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Việt Nam. — BIZHUB