APEC Project Database

Project Title

Enhancing Adoption of AI in Delivering Public Services in Trade Sector

Project Year

2026

Project Number

DESG_102_2026A

Project Session

Session 1

Project Type

Standard

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Project No.

DESG_102_2026A

Project Title

Enhancing Adoption of AI in Delivering Public Services in Trade Sector

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Fund Account

APEC Support Fund

Sub-fund

ASF: Digital Innovation

Project Year

2026

Project Session

Session 1

APEC Funding

133,280

Co-funding Amount

11,200

Total Project Value

144,480

Sponsoring Forum

Digital Economy Steering Group (DESG)

Topics

Digital Technology and Innovation; Digital Economy; Trade Facilitation

Committee

Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI)

Other Fora Involved

Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved

Proposing Economy(ies)

Viet Nam

Co-Sponsoring Economies

Chile; China; Japan; Malaysia; Peru; Philippines

Expected Start Date

01/11/2026

Expected Completion Date

31/12/2027

Project Proponent Name 1

Bui Thi Thanh Hang

Job Title 1

Head of International Affairs Division

Organization 1

E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Telephone 1

+84983570098

Email 1

HangBT@moit.gov.vn

Project Proponent Name 2

Ho Thi To Uyen

Job Title 2

Deputy Head of International Affairs Division

Organization 2

E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Telephone 2

Not Applicable

Email 2

uyenhtt@moit.gov.vn

Declaration

Bui Thi Thanh Hang

Project Summary

This project seeks to accelerate AI adoption in public service delivery in trade sector across APEC. Evidence from existing use cases, such as AI-powered virtual assistants, chatbots, machine learning, and natural language processing, shows AI’s potential to help SMEs navigate complex trade requirements, identify optimal export markets, and assist government agencies in automating trade document processing. By modernizing these systems, economies can reduce administrative barriers, facilitate faster cross-border transactions, and create a more predictable environment for international businesses.

However, uneven digital maturity, data privacy, security and algorithm concerns, and limited institutional capacity remain barriers to widespread implementation. To address these challenges, the initiative will deliver a background paper reviewing AI policies and practices in trade-related public service delivery, identifying key trends, risks, and opportunities for deployment. A two day workshop will convene stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and explore innovative AI driven solutions for public sector modernization.

Relevance

Region

The project seeks to address issues surrounding the adoption of AI in delivering public services in trade sector across APEC economies. Evidence from existing cases shows that AI holds significant potential to transform governance by enhancing efficiency, and transparency. Through AI-powered virtual assistants, governments can provide 24/7 support to help businesses, particularly SMEs, navigate complex trade bureaucracy and clarify technical requirements, such as tariff schedules and import requirements, making public services more accessible for international traders. Chatbots embedded in government portals can efficiently assist businesses by answering FAQs, locating information, and suggesting trade events and services tailored to their profile (exporter, foreign buyer, investor). Machine learning models enable businesses to identify optimal export markets by analyzing global trade patterns, significantly lowering market entry barriers for traders. Natural Language Processing automates trade document processing by extracting key data from invoices and bills of lading, converting it into structured formats, and reducing manual workload and errors for trade and customs agencies. By modernizing these public service delivery systems in trade sector, APEC economies can significantly reduce administrative barriers to trade, facilitating faster cross-border transactions and creating a more predictable environment for international businesses.

Despite these benefits, integrating AI into government systems requires substantial investment in technology, skilled personnel, and institutional capacity. At the same time, concerns over data privacy, security, and transparency remain critical barriers to widespread implementation.

These issues are compounded by uneven levels of digital maturity: while some APEC economies have established institutional frameworks and advanced AI integration to improve public service delivery, others remain in pilot phases, widening the gap in readiness and capacity.

To address these issues, the project will produce a background paper that conducts a stock take of AI policies and use cases in public service delivery in trade sector across APEC region, identify both opportunities and risks, and highlight best practices to guide adoption. Through collaboration and capacity building, including a two-day workshop, the initiative seeks to foster knowledge exchange, promote AI integration into trade-related public service delivery, and enable APEC members to deliver more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centered public services while contributing to narrowing the digital divide in the region.

Eligibility and Fund Priorities

This project has in-principle approval for funding under the APEC Support Fund (ASF) – Digital Innovation. It fully aligns with its eligibility criteria and funding priorities:
- The initiative significantly contributes to the APEC Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap (AIDER).
- It features a capacity-building workshop designed to enhance understanding of AI applications in public service delivery in trade sector. By sharing best practices and innovative application ideas, the project works to narrow the digital divide among APEC economies.
- The project facilitates a multi-disciplinary approach by engaging a diverse range of stakeholders, including policymakers, regulators, researchers, and entrepreneurs, to advance AI integration in trade-related public services.

Capacity Building

This project will build the capacity of APEC participants by equipping policymakers, regulators, researchers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders with applied knowledge, practical skills, and strategic perspectives on harnessing AI for public service delivery in trade sector. Through workshops featuring AI policy updates, case studies in trade-related public service delivery, and interactive exchanges, participants will gain insights into the impacts of AI adoption, the challenges of implementation and scaling, particularly for developing economies, and innovative approaches that enhance responsiveness, accountability, and trust in digital governance. In addition, the workshop will help close knowledge gaps on AI and its applications in trade-related public sector by sharing best practices and offering recommendations, thereby supporting developing economies in advancing effective AI integration.

Objectives

This project aims to advance best practices for AI adoption in trade-related public service delivery in APEC. Key deliverables include a background paper reviewing AI policies and applications, evaluating benefits, and addressing challenges for widespread implementation. A two-day workshop will convene stakeholders to share best practices and explore innovative, AI-driven solutions in trade-related public service delivery. By fostering collaboration and readiness, the project enhances the capacity of APEC economies to adopt AI to deliver efficient and transparent trade-related public services. Ultimately, these efforts help accelerate digital transformation, narrow the digital divide and support the AIDER.

Alignment

Beneficiaries and Outputs

Outputs
Output 1 - Background paper on AI adoption in delivering public services in trade sector in APEC (APEC publication)

The paper will conduct a desk-based stock-take of AI policies and use cases in trade-related public service delivery across APEC region. While the paper will cover all APEC economies, particular attention will be given to economies with more advanced technological capabilities and more established applications of AI in trade-related public services, as these economies can provide relevant examples and good practices for consideration by other APEC economies. The paper will identify key trends, opportunities and risks, and highlight best practices to guide adoption. The paper will be published electronically as an official APEC publication.

Indicative coverage: the AI policy landscape; representative use cases (virtual assistants, chatbots, machine learning, NLP); benefits and economic value; data-privacy, security and transparency considerations; and implementation challenges.

Tentative Background paper structure: Background paper includes executive summary, introduction and background, research method and target, key findings, and recommendations.

Minimum length: at least 15 pages excluding annexes.

Output 2 - Two-day workshop

Hosted on the margins of SOM 3 in Ho Chi Minh city in 2027, this event will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange. The first day features keynote speeches and panel discussions exploring the current landscape of AI policies and leading practices for applying AI to trade-related public services. On the second day, participants will join breakout groups to analyze the specific challenges and opportunities regarding AI adoption in public service delivery in the trade sector. The agenda is designed to be interactive, enabling participants to actively exchange insights and collaboratively learn from one another’s experiences.

The workshop agenda will tentatively cover the following sessions over the two-day workshop:
(i) Assessing the AI landscape and policy developments, including an overview of recent developments in AI technologies, emerging policy and regulatory approaches, and their implications for trade-related public services;
(ii) Examining trends in AI applications and use cases in trade-related public services, with presentations and discussions on practical applications of AI to improve the efficiency, accessibility, and quality of trade-related government services;
(iii) Identifying challenges related to data, governance, security and trust, including challenges associated with data privacy, institutional capacity, transparency, and building trust in the use of AI;
(iv) Exploring opportunities for AI adoption, focusing on areas where AI can generate practical benefits for trade-related public services and identifying enabling conditions for successful adoption;
(v) Conducting breakout exercises on AI use cases and implementation, where participants will work in groups to identify and assess potential AI use cases, discuss implementation requirements, and consider possible approaches to addressing relevant challenges;
(vi) Key lessons and recommendations, summarising the key insights, good practices, challenges, and recommendations emerging from the workshop discussions and group exercises; and
(vii) Post-workshop survey, to assess participants’ learning and satisfaction, gather feedback on the relevance and usefulness of the workshop, and collect suggestions for future capacity-building activities.
The workshop agenda may be adjusted as necessary.

Targets: 10 speakers/experts, approximately 60 participants, and representation from at least 11 economies. All speakers/experts will attend both days of the workshop.

Output 3 - Workshop Report

Workshop Report will detail key presentations, panel discussions, shared best practices, and an analysis of the post-event survey results.

Workshop Report will be made accessible electronically through the APEC Meeting Document Database and shared across the DESG and relevant fora.

Minimum length: at least 30 pages excluding annexes.

Outcomes

1) Enhanced awareness and knowledge of participants: Officials and stakeholders will gain insights into the impacts of AI adoption, use cases of AI applications in trade-related public services, the challenges of implementation and scaling (particularly for developing economies) and innovative approaches that enhance responsiveness, accountability, and trust in digital governance.

2) Enhanced technical capacity: Officials and stakeholders will strengthen their ability to utilize AI in delivering public services within the trade sector.

3) Promotion of good practices in APEC: Participating economies are empowered to adopt good practices and recommendations from the workshop to integrate AI into trade-related public service delivery.

4) Enhanced regional collaboration on the digital transformation of public service delivery within the trade sector through active knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practices.

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries:
The primary beneficiaries of this project are government officials from APEC economies engaged in delivering trade-related public services. Through workshop presentations, panel discussion and breakout group sessions, these officials will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current AI policy landscape and leading practices across the region. This knowledge will equip them with actionable insights to modernize their own service delivery. Furthermore, the event will serve as a critical platform, enabling officials to exchange technical expertise, align innovative approaches, and establish collaborative pathways among APEC member economies. By fostering these connections, the workshop contributes to narrowing the digital divide across the region, ensuring that economies with varying levels of readiness can share knowledge, adopt best practices, and advance toward digital transformation.

Secondary Beneficiaries:
The project will encourage private-sector participation, recognizing their dual roles as technology solution providers and recipients of public services. By attending the workshop, businesses will gain valuable insights into APEC government priorities and policies on AI and public service delivery in the trade sector. This enables them to adapt their operations for compliance as end-users of modernized public services, while also fostering opportunities for strong public–private partnerships in digital governance as technology solution providers. In addition, this direct engagement offers a platform for businesses to connect with regional decision-makers and to voice private-sector concerns, thereby actively contributing to the shaping of policy in APEC.

Dissemination

To ensure widespread regional visibility and effective utilization of project outcomes, the Background Paper will be published electronically as an official APEC publication.

Workshop Report and materials including agenda and presentations will also be made accessible electronically through the APEC Meeting Document Database and shared across the DESG and relevant fora.

The target audience includes government policymakers, regulators, experts involved in trade-related public service delivery, private sector stakeholders, academics, researchers, and representatives from international organizations engaged in digital economy and trade facilitation.

Gender