PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

Driven by ChatGPT’s release, Vietnam experienced heightened public discourse on artificial intelligence’s (AI) effects on employment. However, limited research exists examining how public perception in developing countries responds to such advancements. This study addresses this gap by analyzing over 200 AI-related articles and 7,800 comments on VnExpress, Vietnam’s largest online newspaper, from December 2022 to 2023. Employing quantitative content analysis, we examine the dominant public perceptions regarding AI’s impact on jobs and their evolution over the years. Findings reveal that concerns about job displacement were prevalent across diverse article topics, with negative views of AI causing mass unemployment to dominate and intensify over time. This escalating apprehension, amplified by the rapid advancements in AI technology, was evident in discussions ranging from AI’s potential in specific sectors to broader societal implications. The discourse increasingly emphasized the perceived threat of widespread job losses due to AI automation, overshadowing potential benefits and opportunities. This study contributes valuable insights into the dynamic nature of public sentiment towards AI in a developing country context, highlighting the need for proactive measures to address anxieties and promote informed discourse on the future of work.