RIYADH: – The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and King Khalid Specialist Hospital and Research Centre have initiated a clinical study of the possibility of using artificial intelligence to diagnose diabetic retinopathy, the two sides jointly announced on [day of week.]

The announcement came in a panel discussion at the second iteration of the Global AI Summit, held at King Abdulaziz Conference Center in Riyadh under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The study is being conducted in collaboration with the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) and Lean, a leading provider of AI solutions for the health care sector.

A disease caused by diabetes types 1 and 2, diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness in Saudi Arabia. Early diagnosis is vital for the possibility of alleviating later complications.

The move is the result of the four sides’ collaboration on the development of AI technology for this purpose, said Dr. Abdulaziz Alrajhi, Director of King Khalid Eye Specialist Hospital. The technology, he added would be tested at local clinics prior to broader deployment in the near future.

Dr. Majed Altuwaijri, NCAI’s Chief Executive Officer of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (NCAI,) SDAIA’s innovation arm, said that the clinical study is the first of the products of collaboration between the health care and technology sectors, adding that SDAIA aims to enhance the Kingdom’s global leadership in data and AI.

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