Saudi Arabia, Philips partner to advance AI in healthcare

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and Royal Philips have entered into a public-private partnership to incorporate AI into Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system.

Under an MoU signed between the two parties, a dedicated ‘AI Knowledge Hub’ will be set up to upgrade the local talent pool and expertise to develop local AI applications.

Philips has also pledged to introduce health technology solutions that integrate AI into clinical workflows. Philips IntelliSpace AI Workflow Suite will be used to host and enable the deployment of multiple AI applications on a single platform in healthcare facilities. Philips’ IntelliSpace Discovery will facilitate the process of generating new AI applications by supporting data integration, training and deployment in research settings.

Philips will also enable access to a network of key opinion leaders from partners to facilitate knowledge exchange, collaborative research, and support for the certification of new AI applications.

The two partners will also help create an enabling environment for AI startups to thrive.

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The partnership is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 blueprint for diversifying the economy and enhancing public service sectors, including healthcare through the use of technology.

“We, at SDAIA, through the National Strategy for Data & AI (NSDAI), seek to fully utilise the potential of data and AI and support their applications in all relevant sectors,” said Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, president of SDAIA.

“Today, this agreement is part of our efforts to promote advanced technologies in the health field, support expertise exchange, and develop national capabilities, which will enhance the quality of health services, create new job opportunities, and elevate our national economy to become a data and AI-driven economy.”