Vietnam plans to develop artificial intelligence (AI) markets but is still at the early development stages of investment, regulation and research development. A critical review of facts from international markets and neighbouring regions is thus highly demanded to identify important trends in emerging regulation, development strategies and research relevant to the inherent competitive advantages of Vietnam. We collect AI-related artifacts from major AI markets and Southeast Asian countries and compare this to Vietnam's existing frameworks vis-à-vis investment, regulatory environment and research orientation. We find Vietnam is well behind other countries in Southeast Asia and that public and private investment is required and requires supporting mechanisms to originate the relevant markets at early stages in order to drive effective resource allocation. Specific areas to be focused include agriculture and renewable energy, given the competitive advantages of Vietnam's rich agricultural land and renewable energy resources. We also find AI-related studies are limited, but can be expected to develop significantly given global trends in decarbonisation and sustainable agricultural supply chains. For Vietnam, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city and Danang are the focus of central AI hubs but nearby industrial estates should also be developed.