On the morning of June 24, the 2025 Digital Publishing Forum, themed “The future of publishing in the digital era,” was co-hosted by Alpha Books, the Vietnam Digital Content Creation Alliance (DCCA), and the Digital Copyright Center (DCC), under the patronage of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA).

This was the first forum dedicated exclusively to the publishing industry, where leaders and experts convened to explore solutions and chart a future for Vietnamese books amid rapid technological changes. It also served to spotlight emerging tech trends with the potential to reshape publishing in the coming years.

Digital technology redefines how we access knowledge

In the broader context of Vietnam’s national digital transformation-clearly outlined in Resolutions 57-NQ/TW and 68-NQ/TW-the publishing industry is under immense pressure. Technology, especially AI, is simultaneously seen as a savior and a game-changer.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Nguyen Minh Hong, Chairman of the Vietnam Digital Communications Association, remarked: “We are living in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where digital technologies and artificial intelligence have deeply penetrated and redefined how humans access knowledge.”

“Faced with unprecedented opportunities and challenges, the publishing industry must see this as a critical gateway to promote digital reading culture. More importantly, we must go beyond discussing digital transformation-we must act on it. The goal is to build a fully integrated national digital publishing platform that aligns with global standards,” he emphasized.

According to Dr. Hong, the forum was not just a space for dialogue, but a platform for connecting minds-bringing together publishers and tech experts, bridging ideas with action, and linking the traditions of our ancestors with future possibilities. It’s a call to action, not just reflection.

From single products to content ecosystems

The vision of a modern publishing model-where knowledge flows without barriers-was passionately conveyed by Nguyen Canh Binh, Chairman of Alpha Group, a pioneer in digital transformation within the publishing sector.

“For me personally, my biggest aspiration is to build a knowledge framework, a system where knowledge can reach everyone seamlessly, reducing intermediaries and logistics burdens,” he shared. “We are witnessing a flood of global knowledge entering Vietnam in the digital age. Our responsibility is to be ready, to adapt quickly, and to seize this historic opportunity. I believe the very definition of publishing has completely changed.”

“In the past, publishing meant producing a book. Today, it’s about creating a personalized, interactive, and enriching learning journey,” Binh emphasized. This shift demands a transformation in mindset-from product creation to experience and value creation for communities.

The 2025 Digital Publishing Forum provided a pivotal space for Vietnam’s publishing industry to confront challenges, seek innovative solutions, and envision a future where technology and knowledge merge-propelling Vietnamese literature further into the digital age.

Ha Thuong - Thu Uyen