Saudi Arabia opens world's first AI doctor clinic

The "AI Clinic" in Al-Ahsa has opened a new direction for the medical industry, that technology and humans can work closely together to create a smarter, more efficient and comprehensive medical system - Photo: AI

According to NDTV, this is the result of cooperation between Synyi AI Medical Technology Company (China) and Almoosa Medical Group of Saudi Arabia . This pilot model promises to change the way people access medical examination and treatment services in the near future.

Unlike AI-assisted diagnostic systems that have been deployed previously in many countries, the new model at Al-Ahsa allows AI to play a direct role in examining patients, becoming the first point of contact instead of human doctors.

The virtual doctor named "Dr Hua" will receive patient information via a tablet. The patient enters his symptoms or chats with the system. Dr Hua then continues to ask more questions, analyzes clinical data and images (performed by support staff), and then makes a diagnosis and treatment plan.

However, AI is not yet “all-powerful”. To ensure safety, all conclusions from Dr Hua need to be reviewed and approved by a human doctor before prescribing or performing treatment. In addition, in emergency situations or situations beyond the system’s ability to handle, the medical team is always ready to intervene.

Synyi AI calls this model an "innovative medical service" system, where AI completes the entire medical chain from admission, diagnosis to prescription, while humans act as "safety gatekeepers".

This is the first time an AI system has taken on the direct role of diagnosing and recommending a treatment plan. Humans only play a supervisory role, no longer intervening in every step as before - Photo: Synyi AI

Dr Hua is currently designed to support the examination and treatment of respiratory diseases - the most common group of diseases in clinics, including: sore throat, bronchitis, asthma... with a total of more than 30 diseases.

Synyi AI's next goal is to expand the system's capabilities, adding more diseases in the digestive and dermatological groups, bringing the total number of diseases to about 50 in the near future.

Data from the pilot program will be sent to Saudi Arabia’s health authorities for evaluation. Synyi AI hopes to be licensed for widespread deployment within 18 months if results continue to be positive. Previously, in the internal testing phase, the AI ​​achieved an error rate of only 0.3%, a very impressive number for medical technology.

Until now, AI has mainly played the role of a medical assistant, supporting the reading of X-ray films, analyzing medical records, suggesting treatment plans... This is the first time an AI system has taken on the role of directly diagnosing and suggesting treatment regimens. Humans only play a supervisory role, no longer intervening in every step as before.

"AI used to only assist doctors. Now we are moving to the final step: letting AI actually examine and treat patients," said Zhang Shaodian, CEO of Synyi AI.

To increase suitability, the AI ​​models used by Synyi AI are all large language LMs (LLMs) that have been localized, adjusted to medical professional languages, local dialects and regional cultures, helping AI communicate more friendly and accurately with local people.

Synyi AI is currently backed by major investors such as Tencent, GGV Capital, Hongshan Capital and local governments in China.

Some are excited, others are wary of the "AI clinic"

The idea of ​​AI becoming a “frontline doctor” is creating a debate in the medical community. Proponents say the model can reduce the burden on hospitals and shorten waiting times, especially in areas with a shortage of medical personnel.

However, many experts remain cautious about the risk of relying on AI, especially in complex cases that require human observation and experience.

Although still in the testing phase, the "AI clinic" at Al-Ahsa has opened a new direction for the medical industry, that technology and humans can work closely together to create a smarter, more efficient and comprehensive medical system.

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MINH HAI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/a-rap-saudi-mo-phong-kham-bac-si-ai-dau-tien-tren-the-gioi-2025051920415984.htm