The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) today announced it has partnered with Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, to further support Saudi Arabia’s goal of becoming a leader in driving Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The Memorandum of Understanding between Philips and the SDAIA, which underpins the partnership, is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 blueprint for diversifying the economy and enhancing public service sectors, including healthcare, by employing the most advanced technologies available.

The joint effort will create an AI ecosystem that incorporates education, science and technology, supported by knowledge sharing and worldwide collaborations. Philips combines AI with in-depth knowledge of clinical and operational context to develop integrated solutions that improve the performance and productivity of healthcare systems. The collaboration, which includes a scientific exchange program and investment in local training, aims to empower Saudi Arabia’s data scientists and healthcare professionals with the latest health technologies, enabling them to pass on the benefits of AI in healthcare to the Kingdom’s citizens, making Saudi Arabia one of the world’s most technologically advanced countries.

H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President of SDAIA, stated that “Saudi Arabia is witnessing a thorough developmental renaissance under the umbrella of Vision 2030 in all sectors, and at the forefront comes the technology-related fields. We, at SDAIA, through the National Strategy for Data & AI (NSDAI), seek to fully utilize the potential of data and AI and support their applications in all relevant sectors. 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.“

AI-based health technology solutions have great potential to improve patient outcomes and the efficiency of care delivery,” said Frans van Houten, CEO of Royal Philips. “Such solutions can for example free up valuable time for healthcare professionals to focus more on the patients. Getting every aspect of an AI-enabled solution right, requires extensive collaboration between clinicians, data scientists and other experts. That is why we are pleased to partner with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority to enable AI across all healthcare facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of Vision 2030.”

To create an AI ecosystem for the healthcare sector, the collaboration will focus on five key areas:

• Philips will help to harness AI capabilities in healthcare on a national scale in support of the Vision 2030 digital transformation goals.
• A dedicated AI Knowledge Hub will be established aimed at elevating local talent pool and expertise to develop local AI applications.
• Priority introduction of health technology solutions that integrate AI into clinical workflows. Philips IntelliSpace AI Workflow Suite will 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.
• Access to a network of key opinion leaders from Philips’ top-level partners to facilitate knowledge exchange, best-in-class collaborative research, and support for certification of new AI applications.
• Enabling new business opportunities around AI in healthcare that will drive a robust start-up culture.

“We are honored to continue being part of the transformation of healthcare in Saudi Arabia,” said Mohamed Mostafa, General Manager for Health Systems in Philips Middle East & Turkey. “Philips brings global expertise that strategically fits SDAIA’s mission to unlock the value of data as a national asset to realize the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aspirations and establish an AI-powered Program of Excellence in the healthcare sector. Our proven collaboration models, together with our solutions that integrate AI applications into clinical workflows, will empower Saudi Arabia’s health systems to achieve better health outcomes, improved patient and staff experiences, and lower cost of care. We are positive that this collaboration between SDAIA and Philips will accelerate transformation of the Kingdom’s healthcare sector.”

AI brings unprecedented opportunities to transform healthcare delivery across the world. This strategic partnership between SDAIA and Philips to invest in the future of Saudi Arabia and the health and well-being of its people is one of the many partnerships that Philips is entering into to improve people’s lives through innovation.