Vietnam among fastest AI adopters Pearson AWS study finds

A recent study by Pearson and AWS has revealed that Vietnam is among the fastest adopters of artificial intelligence (AI) among the six markets surveyed. The study, which focused on university students transitioning to the workforce, found that 90% of Vietnamese university leaders perceive AI-driven change as extremely or very fast.

Additionally, 96% of higher education leaders reported investing in AI, with 84% engaging in partnerships with industry to align with market demands. While Vietnamese students demonstrate high confidence in their AI readiness, employers still rate recent graduates as only 'excellent' in key competencies needed for AI-integrated workplaces, indicating a significant gap between confidence and practical application.

This gap is attributed to the differing expectations between universities and employers. Universities primarily teach students to operate off-the-shelf AI tools, while employers seek advanced AI capabilities that combine technical proficiency with critical thinking, data-driven reasoning, and collaborative communication. The report emphasizes that the most critical challenge for young talent is not AI access but the ability to integrate technical AI skills with core human strengths.

To bridge this gap, the report recommends two primary solutions: first, using the AI Readiness Friction Framework as a diagnostic tool to identify challenges across six core dimensions and second, implementing the four key capabilities framework that includes functional AI proficiency, responsible and ethical AI stewardship, strategic intelligence, and critical human skills.