Philips partnering with Saudi Arabia on national healthcare AI

The government of Saudi Arabia is bringing in Royal Philips to help the country of 35 million become a global leader in healthcare AI.

In announcing the public-private alliance via Philips’s news operation, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) says the move comprises a key component of the nation’s tech-forward plan for achieving exemplary socioeconomic fitness by 2030.

The agreement with Philips calls for pursuing five main stratagems. These include prioritizing adoption of AI-based clinical workflow products and setting up an AI knowledge hub to train workers and develop AI applications.

Also on the initial to-do list is opening 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.”

SDAIA head Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, PhD, says the agreement will help the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia “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.”

Full announcement here.

Dave Pearson

Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.

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