ILO is urging swift, coordinated action to turn GenAI from a threat to a catalyst for more productive, inclusive and gender‑responsive work
Around 11.5 million workers in Vietnam – one in five – are in occupations whose tasks are potentially exposed to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), according to a brief published Thursday by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country Office for Vietnam.
The brief, Generative AI and Jobs in Vietnam: Labour Market Exposure and Policy Considerations, found that widespread GenAI-related changes are more likely to transform tasks within existing jobs than to eliminate them entirely. The organisation said only around one million workers – less than 2% of the workforce – are in occupations where tasks are both highly susceptible to AI and standardised, a share lower than in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
Exposure, however, is not evenly distributed. Clerical support workers face the highest risk, with nearly two-thirds employed in occupations most susceptible to GenAI-driven task automation. Financial and insurance services, wholesale and retail trade, and information and communication are among the most exposed sectors. Geographically, workers in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang account for more than a third of all potentially affected jobs nationwide.
Clerical roles emerge as most exposed
The brief highlights a significant gender gap. Women face a 24.1% exposure rate compared with 17.8% for men – a disparity that persists even after accounting for differences in education, occupation, and other characteristics. This reflects the concentration of female employment in clerical, administrative, and service roles, where GenAI applications are more readily applicable due to highly standardized, documentation-intensive tasks.
The consequences for women cut both ways. In sales occupations – where women make up around two-thirds of the workforce – GenAI could augment productivity and improve job quality. In routine clerical roles, however, the risk of task displacement is sharper, with potential consequences for a category of work that provides comparatively stable and formal employment for many women.
Despite these concerns, the report finds no clear evidence of declining employment opportunities for young, highly educated workers in high-exposure sectors between 2022 and 2024. Employment in those sectors has continued to expand, suggesting labor demand remains resilient as AI adoption remains at an early stage.
ILO country director for Vietnam Sinwon Park called for immediate and deliberate policy action.
“Vietnam has a significant opportunity to harness generative AI as a driver of productivity and decent work,” Park said. “However, the benefits and risks will not be evenly distributed, with women facing higher levels of exposure than men. Getting this transition right requires deliberate action now: reinforcing AI governance in line with labour standards, investing in people’s skills, ensuring workers have a voice in how AI is introduced in their workplaces, supporting SMEs in responsible AI adoption, and putting in place the protections needed to ensure technological change is fair and inclusive.”
The brief calls for coordinated action among the government, employers, workers, and other stakeholders, with priority areas including gender-responsive skills development and stronger labor market information systems.
At the global level, a joint ILO and World Bank background study for the World Development Report 2026 examined labor market exposure to GenAI across 135 countries, covering around two-thirds of global employment. It found that differences in digital infrastructure and job task composition are key in shaping how risks and opportunities are distributed between advanced and developing economies.
The study noted that workers in jobs vulnerable to automation are often already online, even in low-income settings, meaning job losses could happen relatively quickly – and that these jobs often represent relatively higher-quality positions in lower-income countries, including clerical and administrative roles that have historically provided a pathway to formal employment.
