December 8, 2025
HANOI – For example, the song Say Một Đời Vì Em (Drunk for a Lifetime Because of You), composed with the assistance of AI and performed by it, has recently taken social media by storm, garnering millions of views on YouTube.
Amid this craze, several artists, both well-known and emerging, quickly released their own covers of the hit.
Recently, AI là ai? (Who is AI) – a game show that utilises AI for the first time, hosted by Trấn Thành – was announced, sparking curiosity among viewers about how AI is integrated into an entertainment programme and the experiences that it can offer in a game show market that, while vibrant, has seen few breakthroughs.
Prior to this, the Vietnamese music market had seen several projects featuring AI-driven elements. Notable examples include folk-inspired song Em Ơi Ví Dầu by Đan Trường, which applied AI in the production of its music video; and the song Miền Hoa Ban Ngày (The Land of Flowers in the Day), performed by Dương Hoàng Yến.
The entertainment market saw the emergence of virtual singers Michau and Damsan at the HOZO International Music Festival back in 2022. Following that, virtual singer Ann has released several songs such as Làm Sao Nói Thương Anh (How to Say I Love You) and Cry, which attracted hundreds of thousands of listens on YouTube.
Intriguing direction
Meanwhile, Vietnamese films have gradually incorporated AI into their production processes. Notable examples are comedy Chốt Đơn (Deal!) in which AI replaced a human actress to play the key role; Lời Nguyền Dưới Ánh Trăng (The Curse under the Moonlight) by Phạm Vĩnh Khương, a science fiction movie created entirely with AI; and the theme song from the horror Quỷ Nhập Tràng (The Corpse) – Hoang Tưởng Đêm Khuya (Midnight Paranoid), composed and performed by AI.
According to the director of the Việt Nam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Tourism, Đặng Trần Cường, the application of AI presents a new and encouraging opportunity for the development of the Vietnamese film industry in the context of global tech integration.
While these developments bring about novelty and innovation, they also pose challenges for creators.
Referring to the rise of entertainment products created by AI, producer Tuấn Mario acknowledged that AI could analyse and produce results quickly, even mimicking artists’ voices.
“However, while AI can imitate a singer’s voice, it still lacks the genuine emotions of a human and still cannot hit high or low notes appropriately,” Mario said. “Therefore, I believe AI will struggle to replace humans in the near future. Nevertheless, it can be applied to music to speed up the workflow.”
Media expert Phan Anh added that “music is fundamentally about emotion, which no AI can replicate”.
“The success of any song can be measured by its reach, the meaning it carries, and the emotions it evokes in listeners,” he said.
An AI-generated image of singer Đan Trường in his music video Em Ơi Ví Dầu. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED/VIET NAM NEWS
Trần Đình Phương, deputy general director of Bee Media Company, believes that the application of AI in television production reflects the transformation of the entire entertainment industry in the digital age.
From a producer’s perspective, he views this as an important step forward, as AI can shorten the production timeline from pre- to post-production, aiding in the research and development of programme content and analysing audience data.
“As a result, the creative team has more space to focus on the ‘soul’ of the project, which is the content and its humanistic message,” he told Thanh Niên (Youth) newspaper.
AI as tool
However, the core value of television, especially in humanitarian programmes with deep humanistic significance lies in genuine emotions and empathy. This is something that any technology, including AI, finds difficult to replace, according to Phương.
“Therefore, we view AI as an important supportive tool, but it cannot substitute for the creative role and social responsibility of humans in every frame,” Phương added.
In practice, AI aids in automating multilingual subtitles, producing short clip versions for social media, and analysing audience behaviour to shape content strategies, according to Phương. This helps programmes spread more easily, accurately reach the target audience, and enhance their impact.
Virtual singer Ann has released several widely shared songs. PHOTO: BOBO STUDIO/VIET NAM NEWS
However, it also raises issues of authenticity, professional ethics, and copyright. Over-reliance risks eroding audience trust.
“The application of AI must be linked to a transparent and responsible strategy. It is a balance between technology and humanity: technology supports speed and efficiency, but humans remain the creative centre to ensure that television continues to connect with the genuine emotions of the audience,” Phương explained.