VIETNAM Law and Practice Contributed by: Tony Nguyen, Ta Phuong Thao, Nguyen Minh Duc, Nguyen Phuong Anh, Nguyen Duc Tai and Truong Que Chi, EPLegal
Regulatory gaps and practical constraints Vietnam has not issued specific procedural rules on AI use in litigation or arbitration. Existing policies (eg, digital transformation plans) remain directional. Prac- tical concerns include data privacy, system reliability and lack of technical infrastructure. As a result, AI’s impact remains incremental, with human decision- makers retaining full control. 10.3 Future AI Adoption by Courts in Vietnam Courts in Vietnam have begun to embrace AI-related technologies, primarily as part of broader digitalisation efforts led by the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam. E-court systems, online publication of judgments and legal databases have improved transparency and effi- ciency. In practice, machine learning tools are used for document classification, legal research and case management. In certain local courts, natural language processing (NLP) has been piloted to extract case data, generate statistical reports and assist in drafting judgments. However, these applications remain sup- portive in nature; adjudication and decision-making AI is expected to evolve as a “judicial assistant” rather than a decision-maker. International models (eg, AI- assisted judging tools in China, Estonia, Singapore and South Korea) indicate a trend toward using AI to analyse precedents, suggest outcomes and identify relevant legal factors. Vietnam is likely to follow this path gradually, especially as caseloads increase and demands for consistency and transparency grow. In the near term, AI will likely expand in areas such as legal analytics, draft judgment support and anomaly detection, while maintaining human control over final decisions. This approach aligns with current policy directions promoting technological adoption while preserving the central role of judges in adjudication. continue to rest entirely with judges. Future of AI in Dispute Resolution
arbitral proceedings. The Vietnam International Arbi- tration Centre (VIAC) has also partially implemented digitalised procedures via the VIAC eCASE platform, which allows online submissions, document manage- ment and case progress tracking. In litigation, the Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam has issued Plan No. 131/KH-TANDTC on the ‘digital transformation of the court system to 2025, with an orientation for 2025–2030 and a vision to 2045, focus- ing on unified databases, technological infrastructure and institutional reform in conjunction with digital technologies. However, this remains a policy direc- tion only and there are still no specific legal regulations governing the application of artificial intelligence in court proceedings or adjudication. 10.2 Impact Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Dispute Resolution in Vietnam Efficiency gains AI supports legal research, document review and case management, reducing time and costs in both litiga- tion and arbitration. Improved access to justice The Supreme People’s Court of Vietnam is implement- ing e-court initiatives (e-filing, online case tracking and pilot online hearings). Similarly, arbitral institutions (eg, VIAC, HIAC) allow online submissions and remote hearings, improving accessibility for domestic and
cross-border disputes. Early-stage adoption
Current applications remain limited to supportive functions (data management, document processing) and most dispute resolution activities are still con- ducted traditionally.
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