Roland Busch, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and CEO of Siemens AG, during the press conference at the APK 2026 in Seoul. — VNS Photo Ly Ly Cao

HÀ NỘI — Roland Busch, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and CEO of Siemens AG, talked to Việt Nam News reporter Ly Ly Cao on the sideline of the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) in Seoul about Việt Nam's investment potential, opportunities for closer Việt Nam-Germany business cooperation, the importance of developing small- and medium-sized enterprises and how Vietnamese companies can move from AI pilots to wider deployment.

How do you assess Việt Nam's economic prospects and its potential for attracting further German investment?

The best is ahead for Việt Nam. We see a very strong commitment to investing in infrastructure, and we are very pleased that we will be delivering the first two high-speed trains and railway lines to Việt Nam.

An economy develops on the back of strong infrastructure and a reliable energy system capable of supporting increasingly high-value manufacturing.

Việt Nam has a young population, a large pool of capable people and strong companies, including large enterprises. However, I believe developing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is particularly important.

Every economy is driven by large companies, but sustained by SMEs. We see this in South Korea and Germany, and I believe Việt Nam needs to follow the same path.

What areas of sustainable technology and industrial development offer the greatest opportunities for Việt Nam?

When it comes to the energy system, the priority is to develop one that is sustainable while still being able to support economic growth.

At the same time, the rapid pace of technological change gives Việt Nam an opportunity to leapfrog by adopting new and advanced technologies. The country's young generation is keen to embrace technology, which is a significant advantage.

These opportunities span all sectors. Việt Nam is already strong in manufacturing and can continue moving towards higher-end manufacturing while preserving the industrial foundationson which it has built its development.

There are also strong Vietnamese companies driving innovation. Opportunities can be found in areas such as automobiles, healthcare, mass technology and infrastructure. The potential is substantial.

What are the main obstacles preventing German companies from expanding their business activities and investment in Việt Nam?

One of the main obstacles is that businesses in the two countries do not know each other well enough.

Many companies have not yet put Việt Nam on their radar as an investment destination. That is understandable in a country that is developing and growing rapidly, as new opportunities continue to emerge.

Stronger business-to-business exchanges would certainly help, supported by free trade agreements.

Some companies may also not fully recognise the potential of Việt Nam's young talent, which is eager to work with and deploy new technologies. This potential is becoming increasingly visible, particularly in the fast-growing software sector. I am also confident that AI is an important area of interest for the younger generation.

Greater promotion and more opportunities for businesses to connect, with support from governments and free trade agreements, could help drive further growth..

What should Vietnamese companies do to move beyond AI pilot projects and integrate artificial intelligence into their operations at scale?

There are several elements to consider.

First, everyone should be encouraged to use AI technology, whether in their personal lives or at work. By becoming familiar with the technology, people can begin to understand what it can do.

Second, the commitment must come from the top. Company leaders need to make a clear decision that they want to put their businesses on an AI path. They should identify where AI can be applied, whether in support functions, design or manufacturing processes.

Third, it is not enough to simply add AI as a co-pilot to existing activities. Companies need to go deeper into their processes and rethink how those processes would operate if they were AI-native. That makes a significant difference.

Finally, an element that is often overlooked is data preparation.

Many companies have data silos, with information scattered across systems and stored in unstructured formats that cannot be easily accessed. Businesses need to work on their data first. Once they address these issues, the results they obtain from applying AI can improve tremendously. — BIZHUB/VNS