Delegates perform procedures to launch a comprehensive AI-powered kiosk system for public administrative services in Đồng Tiến Commune. — VNA/VNS Photo Khiếu Tư

THANH HOÁ — The People's Committee of Đồng Tiến Commune in Thanh Hoá on Thursday launched a comprehensive AI-powered kiosk system for public administrative services, becoming the first locality in the central province to deploy the technology in serving residents.

Unlike conventional smart kiosks currently being piloted in several localities, the new system integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and is capable of supporting users through nearly the entire administrative process.

While traditional electronic kiosks mainly provide information lookup or queue-number services, the new AI kiosk incorporates technologies such as AI, a conversational virtual assistant, voice recognition, natural language processing (NLP), optical character recognition (OCR), and connectivity with the VNeID digital identity platform and the national online public service system.

With the system, residents no longer need to remember the names of administrative procedures or search across multiple platforms. They simply state the service they require, such as birth registration, temporary residence registration or driver's licence renewal, and the AI kiosk automatically identifies the request, provides guidance on required documents, assists with form completion, digitises documents, supports online submission and enables users to track processing progress.

Đỗ Hữu Quyết, Secretary of the communal Party Committee and Chairman of the communal People's Council, said the application of AI has transformed the approach to administrative services from a model in which residents search for procedures themselves to one where AI proactively assists them in completing the process, helping simplify access to public services.

The Đồng Tiến Public Service Centre currently has five officials responsible for receiving and processing administrative applications. As the workload continues to grow, the AI kiosk is expected to significantly reduce repetitive tasks such as providing initial guidance, looking up procedures, checking document requirements and answering frequently asked questions.

Before its official launch, the system was piloted with 11 administrative procedures. Initial results showed promising outcomes, with processing time for some simple public services cut to about one minute per application, while online submission takes an average of just 1.4 minutes. AI has also helped reduce incomplete or incorrect applications, cutting the number of return visits required to supplement documents.

According to Tân Thanh Phương Technology Development Investment JSC, the solution provider, the kiosk has been designed with a user-friendly interface, offering voice interaction, step-by-step visual guidance, and adjustable speaking speed and volume to better support elderly users and those with limited digital skills.

Before Đồng Tiến introduced the comprehensive AI kiosk, Thanh Hoá already begun applying technology to administrative services. Since March 31, the provincial People's Committee, in cooperation with the Việt Nam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), has piloted smart kiosks and a digital authentication and electronic document copy issuance system at 10 locations, including the provincial Police Department's One-Stop-Shop Unit and public administrative service centres in nine communes and wards: Hạc Thành, Hàm Rồng, Đông Sơn, Đông Quang, Đông Tiến, Sầm Sơn, Triệu Sơn, Hoằng Hóa and Kim Tân.

Under the pilot model, residents can scan original documents directly at the kiosk. The system uses AI-assisted recognition technology to automatically verify document validity, authenticate information and forward applications to officials for processing. As a result, the time required to issue legally valid electronic copies has been reduced to 3–5 minutes from around 15 minutes previously. — VNA/VNS