VIAC and AusCham co-organized Webinar 03 on AI, Digital Transformation and Cyber Resilience: What Businesses in Vietnam Should Prepare For?

On the morning of 23 July 2026, the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) and Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham), successfully organized the Webinar “AI, Digital Transformation and Cyber Resilience: What Businesses in Vietnam should Prepare for?”. As the third session of the VIAC–AusCham Webinar Series 2026, the event continued the series' focus on timely and practical legal and commercial issues affecting foreign investors and the business community in Vietnam.

Overview of the Webinar

Bringing together approximately 100 representatives of technology enterprises, corporate leaders, legal practitioners, technology professionals, and government agencies, the webinar explored the opportunities and legal challenges arising from AI adoption and digital transformation. It also offered actionable guidance on cybersecurity governance, regulatory compliance, and strategies for enhancing business resilience in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

This event featured three distinguished speakers including Mr. Colin Blackwell – CEO of EnableCode; Mr. Sam Russell-Vick – Regional Cyber Lead, QBE Insurance (Vietnam) Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Luu Xuan Vinh – Founder & Managing Partner, Asia Legal; Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb), Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (FSIArb), and Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (FACICA); VIAC’s Listed Arbitrator.

The programme commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Edwin Law – Executive Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham), who welcomed participants and reaffirmed the shared commitment of AusCham and VIAC to delivering business-oriented exchanges under their Memorandum of Understanding. Mr. Edwin Law noted that, as Vietnam accelerates its digital transformation agenda, organisations increasingly require clear guidance on AI governance, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and legal risk management to support sustainable growth and competitive innovation.

Mr. Edwin Law - Executive Director of Australian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AusCham) delivering the opening remarks

Opening the substantive programme, Mr. Colin Blackwell – CEO of EnableCode - delivered a presentation on "AI and Digital Transformation in Vietnam – Regulation, Reality & Responsibility”. He observed that AI adoption is advancing considerably faster than many organisations’ internal governance, giving rise to widespread “shadow AI”, wherebyemployees use AI tools without formal policies or internal controls.

Mr. Colin Blackwell – CEO of EnableCode presenting at the webinar

Mr. Colin Blackwell also outlined Vietnam's evolving legislative framework governing AI and digital transformation, including the Law on Data, the Law on Personal Data Protection, the Law on Artificial Intelligence, the Law on Cybersecurity, the Law on Digital Transformation, together with Decree No. 356/2025/ND-CP. While acknowledging that compliance obligations are becoming more comprehensive, he emphasized that businesses should approach compliance as a manageable governance exercise rather than an obstacle to innovation. Beyond compliance, he encouraged organisations to adopt AI responsibly while investing in workforce capabilities, digital governance, and leadership readiness to bridge Vietnam's widening productivity gap.

The second presentation, delivered by Mr. Sam Russell-Vick – Regional Cyber Lead at QBE Insurance, focused on "The Role of Cyber Insurance in an Emerging Threat Landscape”. He explained how cybercriminals leverage AI to automate attacks, accelerate ransomware, and execute sophisticated social engineering fraud targeting businesses across Southeast Asia. Drawing upon practical claims experience, Mr. Russell-Vick highlighted the growing financial consequences of cyber incidents, including rising ransomware payments, business interruption, regulatory investigations, and reputational damage. He emphasized that cyber resilience extends beyond technical security measures and requires comprehensive incident response planning, regulatory compliance management, and coordinated recovery strategies.

Mr. Sam Russell-Vick – Regional Cyber Lead, QBE Insurance presenting at the webinar

The final presentation was delivered by Mr. Luu Xuan Vinh - Founder & Managing Partner, Asia Legal; Fellow of FCIArb, FSIArb and FACICA; VIAC’s Listed Arbitrator. His sharings, “When Things Go Wrong – Disputes in the Digital Economy”, examined the legal consequences that may arise when AI systems, digital platforms, and cybersecurity governance fail.

Drawing on notable international cases, Mr. Vinh illustrated how AI technologies challenge traditional legal principles relating to copyright, consumer protection, data privacy, and anti-discrimination. He noted that many AI-related disputes originate not from external cyberattacks but from ordinary employee conduct - such as uploading proprietary source code, customer information, or sensitive business documents into public AI platforms. Such practices may result in breaches of confidentiality, personal data protection requirements, and contractual obligations.

Mr. Luu Xuan Vinh – Founder & Managing Partner, Asia Legal; Fellow of FCIArb, FSIArb and FACICA; VIAC’s Listed Arbitrator presenting at the webinar

Mr. Vinh further addressed liability arising from AI-generated misinformation, emphasising that businesses remain accountable for information provided by AI systems deployed on their websites or digital platforms. He further underscored the growing importance of carefully drafted AI service agreements, clear internal governance frameworks, and effective dispute resolution mechanisms as AI becomes increasingly embedded in commercial operations.

The webinar concluded with an engaging Q&A session moderated by Mr. Luu Xuan Vinh, during which participants raised a lot of practical questions, ranging from AI governance, data protection, and liability allocation to cyber insurance, cross-border compliance, and dispute prevention. The discussion underscored that while AI offers immense opportunities for innovation and productivity, businesses must adopt comprehensive governance frameworks, strengthen cybersecurity resilience, ensure compliance with evolving legal requirements, and proactively manage contractual and operational risks. Above all, speakers encouraged organizations to view AI governance as a strategic business priority rather than merely as a legal compliance exercise.

Overview of the Q&A Session

Overall, the third webinar of the 2026 VIAC-AusCham Webinar Series brought together leading experts from technology, insurance, and legal sectors to examine the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and dispute resolution. The event equipped business leaders, legal professionals, and technology practitioners with useful approaches to managing corporate liability, mitigating cyber risks, and developing more robust AI governance frameworks. Its success of the further reaffirmed VIAC and AusCham’s shared commitment to empowering businesses in proactive legal risk management, promoting responsible AI adoption, and fostering a secure, resilient, and forward-looking commercial environment in Vietnam.