In a rapidly digitizing world, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for tech giants or Silicon Valley visionaries. In Vietnam and across the broader Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, AI is weaving itself into the fabric of daily life, reshaping how people travel, seek healthcare, and envision their futures. Two recent reports—one from Booking.com and another from Technode Global—shine a spotlight on how different generations and sectors are embracing, questioning, and sometimes struggling with this technological revolution.
In September 2025, Booking.com released a sweeping global report on AI in tourism, and its findings about Vietnamese Generation Z (Gen Z) are nothing short of remarkable. This generation, born and raised alongside the internet and smartphones, is now leveraging AI to transform every step of their travel experience. According to the report, a staggering 85% of Vietnamese Gen Z describe themselves as familiar with AI, with 20% claiming a deep understanding of how it works and another 65% comfortable with its basic principles. For them, AI isn't just a tool—it's a trusted companion, almost like a digital best friend tagging along on every journey.
How does this play out in real life? The numbers are striking. Seventy-five percent of Vietnamese Gen Z use AI-powered search engines daily, 66% turn to generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude, and 59% rely on AI-driven recommendations while binging shows on Netflix or discovering music on Spotify. At home, 70% are frequently interacting with smart devices, and when it comes to travel, 44% already use AI to find inspiration and book their next trip.
But it doesn't stop there. Before they set foot on a plane or hop on a bus, 99% of Gen Z travelers in Vietnam use AI to map out their itineraries—scouring destinations, pinpointing the best times to visit, and soaking up personalized suggestions. Once on the road, almost every traveler in this cohort leans on AI for real-time translation, whether it's deciphering a menu, reading street signs, or learning about local attractions. When the trip is over, 96% keep the AI train rolling, using it to write reviews or get recommendations for future adventures. And if you think that's impressive, consider this: 99% of Vietnamese Gen Z say they want even more AI support in the future, from discovering hidden local gems to helping them research entirely new destinations.
Yet, for all their enthusiasm, Gen Z's embrace of AI isn't blind. The same Booking.com report reveals a layer of caution and concern. Ninety-three percent of respondents admitted to harboring worries about AI's growing role. Their fears are as varied as they are real: 51% are anxious that AI could replace human jobs, 46% fret over personal data privacy, 44% worry about bias creeping into AI-generated recommendations, and 49% are concerned that travelers on a tight budget might be deprioritized by algorithms. Eighteen percent, meanwhile, feel uneasy at the prospect of AI making fully independent decisions without human oversight.
These concerns aren't just abstract; they reflect a generation that is open to new technology but demands fairness, transparency, and accountability from service providers. As the report puts it, "Vietnamese Gen Z set new standards for tourism focusing on convenience, comprehensiveness, speed, and intelligence, requiring businesses to adopt AI practically while maintaining cultural and human balance." In other words, they want the best of both worlds: the efficiency and personalization of AI, but also the warmth and fairness of human interaction.
It's a sentiment that echoes far beyond tourism. In the healthcare sector across APAC, AI is also making waves—though the path to widespread adoption is fraught with even greater obstacles. On September 10, 2025, Technode Global outlined six major barriers holding back AI's full potential in the region's healthcare industry. The promise is immense: AI could improve diagnostic accuracy, tailor treatment plans to individual patients, accelerate drug research, and provide much-needed support to both patients and medical staff.
Some countries are racing ahead. China, for example, is projected to see its AI healthcare market soar from $0.55 billion in 2022 to a whopping $11.91 billion by 2030. Japan and South Korea are also on track for significant growth, with Japan's market expected to reach $1.87 billion and South Korea's $2.11 billion by the end of the decade. But elsewhere—in countries like Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste—the pace is much slower, hampered by limited strategies and a lack of robust legal frameworks.
What are the main hurdles? First and foremost is data privacy and security. Patients and healthcare professionals alike are deeply concerned about the potential misuse or leakage of sensitive information. There's a widespread call for strict anonymity measures and specialized resources to ensure that personal data is handled safely. Without such safeguards, many are reluctant to trust AI-driven systems with their most intimate health details.
Then there's the issue of infrastructure. Many healthcare systems in APAC still rely on outdated manual processes, lacking the digital backbone and standardized data needed for AI to function effectively. This not only puts extra pressure on already overworked medical staff but also makes it difficult to scale up AI solutions, especially when hospitals are constantly updating their workflows or adding new departments.
The human factor can't be ignored, either. A significant shortage of AI-skilled healthcare workers is looming. While over 92% of recruiters plan to integrate AI tools, a whopping 71% of current staff don't know what skills they'll need to thrive in this new landscape. In Southeast Asia alone, a deficit of 6.9 million healthcare workers is expected by 2030—nearly 40% of the global shortfall. In this context, AI has the potential to be a game-changer, but only if hospitals invest in training and upskilling their teams.
Other barriers include the lack of high-quality, standardized data; patchy legal and ethical frameworks; and—perhaps most dauntingly—the high costs associated with implementing AI solutions. For smaller hospitals or those in less developed economies, the price tag can be prohibitive. The most viable path forward, according to experts, may be to adopt "plug-and-play" AI products, leverage cloud-based services that charge by usage, or collaborate with other healthcare providers to share resources.
Despite these challenges, the mood is far from defeatist. As Technode Global notes, "If the region can overcome these obstacles, AI could become a powerful engine for improving disease management, enhancing care quality, and breaking new ground in pharmaceuticals." The key, as always, will be balancing innovation with caution—ensuring that progress doesn't come at the expense of privacy, fairness, or trust.
Across sectors and borders, the message is clear: AI is here to stay, but its future will be shaped not just by code and algorithms, but by the hopes, fears, and expectations of the people who use it. In Vietnam, Gen Z is already writing the next chapter of digital tourism. In APAC's hospitals, the AI revolution is just beginning—and the stakes couldn't be higher.
