[AI] - Decoding the “Barriers” Behind the Slow Adoption of AI Facial Recognition in Vietnam

Have you ever wondered why, while the world is booming with facial recognition AI  from unlocking smartphones to airport security systems  time attendance solutions using AI remain a “stranger” to most Vietnamese businesses?

Every day, thousands of companies still struggle with outdated magnetic cards, fingerprint scanners that can be “tricked,” or even manual attendance logs that are prone to errors. Imagine this: only 5–7 minutes for 1,000 employees to check in without crowding, yet this remains a “dream” for most Vietnamese companies. The result? Reduced productivity, higher workforce management costs, and missed opportunities for digital transformation.

This article will analyze the three biggest barriers holding back the adoption of AI-based time attendance technology in Vietnam and share a practical solution — aiTimelog, which has already helped many Vietnamese enterprises overcome these challenges.

Why AI-Powered Time Attendance Isn’t Yet Mainstream in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, with a young and dynamic workforce. Yet according to AWS’s latest report (September 2025), only about 18% of Vietnamese companies apply AI in human resource management — lower than the regional average, though up from 13% the previous year. Why is that?

It’s not due to a lack of technology — in fact, facial recognition AI has reached up to 99% accuracy under ideal conditions, according to 2025 research. The real problem lies in internal barriers that make businesses hesitant to invest.

Eric Yeo, Country General Manager of AWS Vietnam, speaking at a press conference. Photo courtesy of AWS.

Imagine you are the owner of a manufacturing plant with thousands of workers who must check in every morning. An AI system could complete the process in seconds — but what if it leaks personal data or crashes mid-shift? That’s the real concern of many Vietnamese leaders. Let’s take a closer look at the three main barriers: security, cost, and stability.

The Core Barriers: Security, Cost, and Stability

1. Security – The “Nightmare” of Personal Data

In Vietnam, where the Cybersecurity Law and especially the Personal Data Protection Law 2025 (effective January 1, 2026) are in place, storing facial images of hundreds of employees is like holding a ticking time bomb. Many companies fear: Will the data be hacked? Misused? Or worse — could violations lead to fines of up to 5% of annual revenue?

Global data breaches such as Cambridge Analytica, along with recent local incidents, have made Vietnamese executives extremely cautious, causing AI-based time attendance to be sidelined. According to Cisco’s 2025 survey, over 70% of businesses cite security as the main barrier to AI adoption.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Trieu Manh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Cybersecurity and High-Tech Crime Prevention, speaking to the media, July 7.

2. Cost – The Heavy “Upfront Burden”

Implementing AI isn’t just about buying hardware like high-resolution cameras; it also involves software customization and employee training to operate new systems. For small and medium-sized businesses, the total cost can reach hundreds of millions of VND, not including annual maintenance fees.

In the 2025 digital economy boom, many companies prioritize survival over innovation, choosing to “save” by sticking with cheaper traditional methods. According to McKinsey Tech Trends 2025, the initial cost of AI deployment in Vietnam is 2–3 times higher than its immediate ROI, discouraging SMEs from taking the leap.

AI investments often yield less than 10% cost savings and under 5% revenue growth. Illustrative photo.

3. Stability – The “Fear” of Technical Glitches

Vietnam’s diverse work environments  from dusty factories to sunlit offices and dim night shifts — pose challenges for AI facial recognition systems. The technology can struggle with sunglasses, masks, or appearance changes, leading to error rates 10–20% higher due to motion blur or pose shifts, according to arXiv 2025. The result? Employees must resort to manual check-ins, defeating the purpose of automation. These barriers aren’t theoretical — they are eating away at daily operational efficiency.

The Impact of These Barriers: Risks That Cripple Operational Performance

Think of a typical day: Employee A “borrows” Employee B’s card to clock in, creating fraudulent attendance records. Or a fingerprint scanner freezes during rush hour, wasting valuable time. These small issues add up to a much larger problem:

Fraud and Payroll Loss – Immediate Damage to Credibility:
Studies show that time fraud can cause 2–5% of monthly payroll losses, equating to billions of VND for large enterprises. Beyond money, it erodes internal trust and damages corporate culture. Clients and partners may also lose confidence in a company with weak HR management systems — dragging down brand reputation.

“We fear AI less than we fear delays,” said an HR director in a recent survey.

Hindering Digital Transformation and Scalability:
In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Vietnamese businesses are racing toward digitalization, aiming for the digital economy to contribute 20% of GDP by 2025, according to national targets. Yet manual timekeeping turns scaling from 100 to 1,000 employees into a nightmare: unsynchronized data, delayed reports, and decisions made on “gut feeling.”

The result? Competitors pull ahead, and businesses miss out on 15–25% potential growth, as reported by McKinsey’s Digital Acceleration Report.

In short, these barriers don’t just slow companies down — they trap them in a vicious cycle of higher costs, lower efficiency, and uncertain futures.

The Breakthrough Strategy: Overcoming Barriers with aiTimelog

Fortunately, not everything is bleak. The secret lies in choosing the right “partner” — an AI solution tailored for the Vietnamese market. That’s aiTimelog, the advanced facial recognition time attendance technology from COMIT Corporation, which has helped hundreds of businesses break through these barriers.

aiTimelog is more than just an attendance system — it’s an intelligent brain powered by machine learning, adapting to any condition, capable of recognizing up to six faces simultaneously with contactless, touch-free operation. With its three strategic pillars — Enhanced Security, Cost Optimization, and Guaranteed Stability — aiTimelog turns barriers into competitive advantages for your business.

Overcoming Barriers with aiTimelog
1. Eliminate Fraud and Ensure Absolute Accuracy

The biggest concerns — data breaches and attendance fraud — are fully addressed by aiTimelog, helping businesses restore internal trust and strengthen brand reputation.

• Absolute anti-fraud protection: Using Deep Learning and 512-dimensional facial feature recognition, aiTimelog detects and blocks even the most sophisticated spoofing attempts — from printed photos to tablet simulations or phone videos.
  Result: Completely eliminates “buddy punching,” reducing payroll loss by up to 5% within the first month.
• Superior 99.99% accuracy: No more errors caused by dirty fingerprints or lost cards. All data is end-to-end encrypted and fully compliant with the Personal Data Protection Law 2025, keeping your company safe from heavy fines.

2. Accelerate Performance in All Conditions

Forget the fear of systems struggling with masks, sunglasses, or fast movement — aiTimelog runs smoothly 24/7, even in the most demanding environments.

Ultra-fast, contactless recognition: Processes attendance in under one second, recognizing up to six faces at once, even when employees are in motion or wearing masks.
This eliminates bottlenecks during peak hours in large factories, saving 10–15 minutes per shift for hundreds of employees — translating to hours of valuable productivity every day.

3. Automate Management and Boost Flexibility

Don’t let high upfront costs overwhelm you — aiTimelog delivers rapid ROI by removing the need for complex training and costly maintenance, empowering SMEs to thrive in the 2025 digital economy.

• End-to-end automation: From check-in to payroll calculation and real-time shift management, the system cuts up to 90% of HR’s manual workload, freeing resources for strategic tasks.
• Flexible customization: Easily configure shifts, overtime, and leave policies according to your company’s unique rules — solving the rigidity of legacy systems and supporting seamless scaling from 100 to 1,000 employees.
• Smart visual reporting: Over 30 real-time dashboards provide insights on productivity and anomaly detection (e.g., sudden absences), replacing guesswork with data-driven decisions.

Conclusion: Don’t Let Barriers Hold Back Your Future

AI-based time attendance is no longer a “luxury” — it’s the key for Vietnamese businesses to break through in the digital race. Security, cost, and stability challenges may seem daunting, but with aiTimelog, they become stepping stones toward greater efficiency and growth.

Book a consultation with aiTimelog experts today to discover how the system can help your organization boost performance and prepare for the HR 4.0 era.