•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Do Thi, Deputy Head of the Planning and Advice Office, Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention (Ministry of Public Security), said data is a resource often compared to the “oil of the 21st century.” In the context of the fourth industrial revolution—where artificial intelligence (AI) is described as the “brain” of modern finance—the question is whether Vietnam has a robust “immune system” to protect the nation’s largest asset, data, from increasingly sophisticated attack scenarios.
At the conference “Data Security in the AI Era,” organized by Financial Investment Magazine in cooperation with the FSI, experts outlined both the opportunities and risks of AI.
On the one hand, AI is a major growth driver. According to Dr. Nguyen Duc Hien, Deputy Head of Policy and Strategy at the Central Committee, AI could contribute up to $120–130 billion to Vietnam’s economy by 2040, roughly 25% of current GDP. AI is already present across key processes, including eKYC and credit approval, as well as cash-flow management for millions of users.
On the other hand, AI can also be weaponized by high-tech criminals, enabling “industrialized” fraud. Deepfakes of faces and voices with accuracy up to 98% to steal bank accounts are occurring continuously. Statistics cited at the conference indicate that 85% of cyberattacks today are aided by AI. Global economic losses in 2025 are estimated at $10 trillion, while Vietnam’s losses are described as being on the order of hundreds of billions of VND.
Mr. Nguyen Hung Son, Vice Chairman of the FSI Board of Directors, highlighted a key concern: awareness has outpaced capability. He noted that many financial institutions invest trillions of VND in defense systems but still lack control over the data lifecycle.
Mr. Nguyen Ich Vinh, Deputy General Director of FSI, described the situation as building a strong door to keep thieves out, yet being unprepared if the thief has already entered. In that framing, the issue is no longer whether an attack will occur, but how long an organization can withstand it and how quickly it can recover. He cited that a data leak could cause a company to lose 15% of its personal customers within just one week.
Experts also pointed to 2026 as a watershed year, when the Personal Data Protection Law takes effect. Data protection, previously treated as a “recommendation,” becomes a mandatory requirement in corporate governance. Under the law, penalties for violations can reach up to VND 5 billion, or be calculated based on revenue.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Dinh Do Thi emphasized that data is not only operational information but also a national asset—again compared to the “oil of the 21st century.” He said that in the past three years, authorities identified more than 30 cases involving about 160 million records of data stolen and sold. He argued this makes it necessary to have a legal framework that is firm enough to protect data while remaining flexible enough not to hinder innovation.
To counter harmful uses of AI, experts agreed there is no single universal shield that relies solely on technology. Instead, data security should be built on a three-legged approach: transparent regulation, breakthrough technology, and governance of accountability.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
