Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: A poll of nearly 1,000 participants conducted during the Forbes Middle East Healthcare Leaders Summit found that 42.41% of respondents believe AI and digital health are the leading forces expected to drive Saudi Arabia’s healthcare transformation over the next five years.

According to the official statement released yesterday, private-sector investment and public-private partnerships ranked second at 26.58%, followed by the localization of pharmaceutical production at 13.92%, prevention and population health at 10.13%, and workforce and clinical capability at 6.96%.

When asked which areas should receive priority investment to create the greatest long-term value for the healthcare sector, 29.01% of participants said AI, data, and digital platforms. Biotechnology and life sciences research and development followed closely at 26.54%, while 19.75% selected talent development and clinical excellence. Hospitals and healthcare infrastructure received 17.90%, and local pharmaceutical manufacturing ranked last at 6.79%.

While 6.96% of participants identified workforce and clinical capability as the biggest driver of transformation, 19.75% said it should be an investment priority. This suggests that sector leaders believe the investment agenda must extend beyond technology to include biotechnology, talent, infrastructure, and digital platforms.

These results underscore that the Saudi healthcare sector is placing AI and digital health at the center of its transformation agenda, while recognizing that sustained progress will require parallel investment in life sciences, talent, and infrastructure.

The poll was conducted among participants at the second edition of the Forbes Middle East Healthcare Leaders Summit in Riyadh, including senior executives, government representatives, and healthcare professionals.