Vietnam recorded a sharp rise in foreign direct investment in 2026, prompting a debate about the quality of these inflows. Understanding why a shift toward core technologies matters can reveal how the country may capture more of the AI‑driven growth wave.

Experts argue that Vietnam should move away from manufacturing‑focused foreign investment toward core technologies, a skilled workforce, and a stronger domestic business ecosystem, especially as AI drives a global tech boom. This change could raise the value of future inflows.

According to data presented at the CEO 500 program, Vietnam attracted US$50.36 billion in registered FDI during the first nine months of 2026, a 76.4 percent year‑on‑year increase. The foreign‑invested sector accounted for 80.7 percent of the country’s export turnover in 2026, but it still relies heavily on low‑value processing and imported components, limiting the value retained by Vietnamese businesses.

Fazurin Jamaludin, the International Monetary Fund’s resident representative for Vietnam and Laos, said AI is becoming a major driver of global economic growth and that Vietnam’s ability to benefit depends on its legal framework, energy infrastructure, and workforce quality. He recommended strengthening macroeconomic fundamentals, improving access to capital, modernising fiscal and monetary policies, and developing green industrial zones and a science‑technology urban area to attract high‑tech FDI.

The overall message is clear: without moving FDI toward core technologies and a supportive ecosystem, Vietnam may miss out on higher‑value growth. Shifting the investment focus is essential for the country’s long‑term economic future.