A law regulating artificial intelligence went into effect in Vietnam on Sunday, making it the first country in Southeast Asia with a comprehensive framework on the booming technology.

Passed by the National Assembly in December, the law focuses on the risks posed by generative AI, requiring human oversight and control along the lines of the European Union's landmark AI Act.

The legislation, which is in force as of March 1, "paves the way for Vietnam to deeply integrate with international standards while maintaining digital sovereignty", the government said in a December report.

It requires companies to clearly label AI-generated content such as deepfakes that cannot readily be differentiated from reality.

It also requires them to disclose to customers when they are interacting with an artificial rather than human agent.

The law applies to developers as well as providers and deployers of the technology, whether they are Vietnamese organisations or foreign entities operating in the country.

Under the law, the government will establish a national AI computing centre, improved data resources and large language models in Vietnamese.

While Vietnam's law is a regulatory milestone, analysts said its impact would depend on how the government enforces it and on what guidance it issues on implementation.

At an AI summit hosted by New Delhi in February, 91 countries and international organisations called for "secure, trustworthy and robust" AI in their declaration, signed by the United States and China. (AFP)


Edited by Tony Sabine