How to navigate the ethical landscape of artificial intelligence

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Seha Virtual Hospital, recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest online medical initiative, is leading the way in transforming healthcare accessibility and efficiency through digital innovation.

The facility, linked to over 200 hospitals across the Kingdom, is reshaping patient care by eliminating geographical limitations and integrating advanced artificial intelligence solutions.

Speaking with Arab News on the sidelines of the LEAP 2025 tech conference in Riyadh, Abdullah Al-Issa, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for e-health and digital transformation, highlighted the government’s commitment to leveraging technology to enhance health care services. 

“Digital is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. The ministry has prioritized digitization to deliver high-quality services to beneficiaries, creating a deputyship responsible for strategy, enterprise architecture, and implementation of digital solutions,” Al-Issa stated.

Bridging gaps with Seha Virtual Hospital

The Kingdom’s e-hospital is transforming patient care by providing nationwide access to advanced consultations.

“For rare specialties, patients no longer need to travel long distances to see a doctor. With Seha Virtual Hospital, consultations can happen remotely, ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment,” Al-Issa explained.

The establishment also powers initiatives like the Tele-ICU, which enables specialized consultants to assess critical patients remotely.

“Previously, patients requiring niche expertise had to be transferred via emergency air transport. Now, they can be treated in their hometown hospitals, reducing logistical burdens and improving outcomes,” he added.

AI-driven health care revolution

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence integration, using technology to enhance diagnostics and preventive care. “For two years, we have utilized AI in Seha Virtual Hospital, including AI-driven x-ray solutions that detect breast cancer and other conditions, assisting consultants by flagging abnormalities before they even examine scans,” said Al-Issa.

AI also plays a pivotal role in large-scale preventive health care. “We have screened over 30 million people for non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, categorizing them into high-, medium-, and low-risk groups. Those at high risk receive further assessment and early intervention, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030’s goal of increasing life expectancy to 80 years,” he noted.

Partnerships and cybersecurity in digital health

Collaboration with the private sector remains a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s health care strategy. “We welcome partnerships with innovators and technology firms to enhance services. Working alone isn’t enough— we must collaborate to maximize technology’s benefits for patients, doctors, and the entire ecosystem,” Al-Issa emphasized.

With the rapid digitalization of health care, cybersecurity has become a top priority. “We are fully aligned with the National Cybersecurity Authority’s recommendations to safeguard patient data and prevent misuse of technology,” he added.
 
Nafees: the unified medical record system

The Ministry of Health is also advancing health care integration through Nafees, a unified medical record system that consolidates patient health data across providers.

“Patients can now access their medical history through the Sehhaty app, while health care providers can view past diagnoses and test results, eliminating redundant procedures and enhancing efficiency,” Al-Issa said.

“We are midway through this project, with many providers already connected and more to follow in the coming years,” he added.

RIYADH: Saudi-based tech company Maqsam has unveiled the region’s first phone bot powered by artificial intelligence capable of handling customer service calls entirely in Arabic and English, including several dialects.

Speaking to Arab News at LEAP 2025 Tech Conference, Fouad Jeryes, cofounder and chief business officer of Maqsam, said the innovation tackles a central challenge businesses face when trying to provide a seamless Arabic-language customer service.

“Most global AI solutions do not support Arabic well,” Jeryes said. “There aren’t solutions that actually speak Arabic, so it’s a big gap here.”

The smartphone bot developed by Maqsam transcribes speech, understands intent, and responds fluently in Arabic, offering 24/7 automated support. 

Unlike existing machine-learning solutions, which are predominantly optimized for English, the bot handles linguistic variations across the Arab world, ensuring a more natural and effective customer experience.

Despite Arabic being one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, businesses have struggled to implement tech-powered customer service solutions that accurately process different dialects.

The bot’s ability to recognize and adapt to different Arabic dialects makes it particularly valuable for businesses operating in several markets in the MENA region.

“Good customer service is crucial for customer retention and trust, as it takes many positive experiences to offset one negative one. Better service leads to happier customers, reducing time wasted and improving overall customer experience,” Jeryes said. 

Maqsam’s bot has the potential to transform customer interactions, making services faster and more accessible, while reducing operational costs.

“If you can get to someone where you don’t have to be on hold, where they pick up every single time and service you immediately, it’s going to be easier — less time wasted, more efficiency, and better service overall, which keeps you happy as a customer,” Jeryes added.

The bot also acts as a co-pilot for human agents, reducing their workload and improving efficiency.

“The agent speaking to the customer doesn’t have to know all the information or handle every process. The bot listens in real time and translates that information into necessary actions,” Jeryes said.

However, automation will not completely replace human agents.

“There will be fewer human agents and more bots in the future,” he said. “But the human element needs to be there, because the bots will not be able to service all the scenarios.”

While the technology presents significant advances, risks and regulatory concerns surrounding AI-powered customer services remain.

“There’s a lot that’s going to come into the realm of regulation in this space in particular,” Jeryes said. “In general, humans will remain a very integral part of this community.” 

As Saudi Arabia continues to advance its digital economy under Vision 2030, such innovations contribute to the development of a more tech-driven business landscape, enhancing efficiency and supporting the Kingdom’s push for digital transformation.