Technology and AI shift from support tools to core competitive advantages

The role of technology in business is shifting from a mere support tool to a core competitive advantage. While many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) invest heavily in management software and automation, simply digitizing manual processes often fails to yield significant returns because competitors can easily adopt the same tools.

True differentiation occurs when technology is integrated into a company's development strategy to enhance customer experience, such as through personalized services and faster response times. In the software industry, artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing the competitive landscape. As AI becomes widespread, the advantage of simply owning technology or large engineering teams is diminishing.

According to the State of AI-Assisted Software Development 2025 report by Dora and Google Cloud, 90% of surveyed tech professionals use AI in their work. The challenge for organizations is moving beyond individual AI usage to making AI a collective organizational capability. VTI, a company with over 1,800 employees across six countries, is transitioning toward an ‘AI-native’ model. VTI CEO Tran Xuan Khoi emphasizes that AI should not just help individuals work faster, but should change how the entire organization operates to create more value for customers.