Improving institutions, unlocking data, and applying AI are crucial foundations for building a digital government, aiming to provide proactive, efficient public services that are people- and business-centered.
On June 24, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 224/2026/ND-CP detailing some provisions and measures for implementing the Law on Digital Transformation. Completing the legal framework necessitates putting these regulations into practice, from data organization and investment in digital transformation to innovating methods of providing public services.
Digital transformation is no longer just about moving administrative procedures online, but aims to change the way government agencies operate, enhance data utilization, and proactively meet the needs of citizens and businesses.
Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in national science , technology, innovation, and digital transformation also emphasizes that the State plays a leading role in promoting and creating the most favorable conditions for the development of national science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
Against this backdrop, on the afternoon of October 9th in Hanoi , the seminar "Digital Government and Next-Generation Public Services," within the framework of the National Digital Transformation High-Level Forum, focused on discussing the challenges posed when implementing digital transformation guidelines and regulations, from data, investment, and governance to the application of artificial intelligence (AI).
From perfecting institutions to solving data problems
Speaking at the Forum, Mr. Tran Duy Ninh, Director of the National Digital Transformation Department, stated that to create substantive changes in the operations of state agencies as well as the lives of citizens and businesses, it is necessary to focus on solving specific problems instead of just discussing technology or individual digital platforms.
One of the key issues is data. According to Mr. Ninh, approximately 125 national databases, key databases, and specialized databases have been and are being developed. However, the creation of new databases is only the first step. More importantly, data must be connected, shared, and reused to effectively serve the people.
The principle of requiring only one-time declaration, data reuse, and proactive provision of public services has been identified as a key direction. Accordingly, instead of repeatedly requiring citizens to provide information that government agencies already possess, the system needs to be able to leverage relevant data to support the completion of applications and procedures.
This shift requires agencies not only to build databases but also to ensure the quality, consistency, and accessibility of that data. When data is incomplete, inaccurate, or not readily available for sharing, automating processes and proactively providing services will be severely limited.
The creation of new databases is only the first step. More importantly, data must be connected, shared, and reused to effectively serve the people.
At the seminar, Associate Professor, Dr. Hoang Huu Hanh, Deputy Director of the National Digital Transformation Department, also emphasized the requirement to ensure that data is "accurate, complete, clean, active, consistent, and shared." According to him, the issue lies not only in whether the data has been collected or not, but also in its readiness to be used in practical processes.
Besides data, investment efficiency is also a key issue. According to Mr. Tran Duy Ninh, the organization of investment, quality management, and measurement of the effectiveness of digital systems need to be implemented synchronously, avoiding scattered, overlapping, and wasteful investments.
In this context, the National Digital Master Architecture Framework plays a guiding role in how digital systems are organized, helping to ensure overall consistency while still leaving room for solutions tailored to the specific characteristics of each locality.
Mr. Ninh argued that the requirement is to ensure national governance unity while promoting the initiative and creativity of localities, especially at the commune level – where people directly interact with the government. The framework should not be understood as a rigid structure that leaves no room for innovation at the local level, but rather as a common foundation for solutions to be implemented synchronously and effectively.
Furthermore, the application of AI in next-generation public administration and service delivery should be encouraged, but it must be accompanied by safety standards, controlled testing mechanisms, protection of personal data, and clear definition of responsibilities for participating entities.
Based on these issues, Mr. Ninh emphasized that digital transformation is not just a technological challenge, but first and foremost a challenge concerning institutions, governance models, and implementation methods.
Put technology into practice, using service effectiveness as the measure of success.
If data and institutions form the foundation, transforming the way government agencies operate is a prerequisite for proactive public services to be effective.
According to Dr. Do Trung Anh, Director of the Innovation Center at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, the difficulties lie not only in the deployment of technology but also in the changes to the entire business process surrounding public services. Service providers need to change their mindset, practices, attitudes, and work ethic, moving towards a people-centered service approach.
For AI, it is necessary to clearly define which tasks can be automated, the extent to which AI assists humans, and which decisions must still be the responsibility of humans. Along with improving mechanisms and policies and removing obstacles in investment, enhancing the digital capabilities of staff is a necessary condition for the systems to operate effectively.
It is necessary to facilitate the piloting of new models and solutions before widespread implementation.
Mr. Hoang Huu Hanh believes that perfecting the legal framework needs to be followed by guidance, implementation, and resolving practical obstacles. The National Digital Transformation Agency will continue to gather feedback from ministries, localities, businesses, institutes, universities, and international partners to research, test, and apply suitable models.
From shared data and efficient investment to controlled AI applications, the forum's discussions revealed that next-generation public services are not just about technological change. They also involve a process of innovative governance thinking, reorganization of processes, and enhanced implementation capacity.
When data is effectively utilized, processes are appropriately designed, and government agencies are more proactive in providing services, digital transformation can create concrete changes in the experiences of citizens and businesses. This is also an important measure to evaluate the effectiveness of the digital government development process.
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Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Vietnam.vn, 09.10.2026
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