Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review (JEFRR) · Research article · Open access
Toward Layered AI Autonomy: A Strategic Framework for Managing Dependency Risks in Transition Economies A Conceptual Framework with Illustrative Evidence from Vietnam
Pham Duy Minh
29 June 2026 · Vol. 2, Issue 6, pp. 352-361
DOI: 10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07
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What is this article about?
The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms from a small number of advanced-economy technology firms has created a structural dependency problem for developing nations. Existing concepts of AI sovereignty and digital sovereignty, primarily developed in the context of advanced economies, provide insufficient guidance for resource-constrained transition economies that must simultaneously navigate the imperative of AI adoption and the risks of technological lock-in.
Article at a glance
- Published
- 29 June 2026
- Volume / issue / pages
- Vol. 2, Issue 6, pp. 352-361
- ISSN
- 3051-3650 (online) · 3051-3642 (print)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to read and reuse with attribution
- Peer review
- Double-blind, at least two independent reviewers
- Publisher
- EP Journals Group
Abstract
The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) platforms from a small number of advanced-economy technology firms has created a structural dependency problem for developing nations. Existing concepts of AI sovereignty and digital sovereignty, primarily developed in the context of advanced economies, provide insufficient guidance for resource-constrained transition economies that must simultaneously navigate the imperative of AI adoption and the risks of technological lock-in. This paper proposes the Layered AI Autonomy for Transition Economies (LAAT) framework, a three-layer strategic model that enables transition economies to manage AI dependency risks across four dimensions: financial, technical, legal-contractual, and geopolitical. Drawing on switching costs theory (Shapiro & Varian, 1999), market thickness theory (Roth, 2012), platform economics (Parker et al., 2016), and techno-economic paradigm cycles (Perez, 2002), the framework reconceptualizes AI autonomy not as a binary state but as a multidimensional spectrum achievable through strategic layering. We apply the LAAT framework to Vietnam, a rapidly digitalizing lower-middle-income economy with an ambitious national AI strategy, demonstrating how the framework can guide evidence-based AI policy. The analysis reveals that Vietnam exhibits high dependency vulnerability across all four dimensions, with concentrated risk in the legal-contractual and geopolitical dimensions. The June 12, 2026 export control action against Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models serves as a critical empirical case for the framework's applied significance. We conclude with a three-phase policy roadmap translatable to other transition economies at comparable stages of AI adoption.
Keywords: AI sovereignty, vendor lock-in, transition economies, digital policy, Vietnam, AI governance, platform dependency
Cite this article
Pham Duy Minh (2026). Toward Layered AI Autonomy: A Strategic Framework for Managing Dependency Risks in Transition Economies A Conceptual Framework with Illustrative Evidence from Vietnam. Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review, 2(6), 352-361. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07
@article{Pham2026,
title = {Toward Layered AI Autonomy: A Strategic Framework for Managing Dependency Risks in Transition Economies A Conceptual Framework with Illustrative Evidence from Vietnam},
author = {Pham Duy Minh},
journal = {Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {6},
pages = {352-361},
doi = {10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07},
url = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07}
}Questions about this article
Who wrote this article?
Pham Duy Minh.
Where and when was it published?
In Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review, Volume 2, Issue 6, pages 352-361, published by EP Journals Group on 29 June 2026.
Is this article free to read?
Yes. It is open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read, share and reuse it with attribution.
What is the DOI of this article?
10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07 (https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07).
How do I cite this article?
APA: Pham Duy Minh (2026). Toward Layered AI Autonomy: A Strategic Framework for Managing Dependency Risks in Transition Economies A Conceptual Framework with Illustrative Evidence from Vietnam. Journal of Economic, Finance Research and Review, 2(6), 352-361. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jefrr/V2E6/2026-07
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