Saudi Arabia’s Seha Virtual Hospital demonstrates AI accuracy in heart disease diagnosis

Saudi Arabia's Seha Virtual Hospital has put its faith, and its data, into artificial intelligence. Through its Digital Clinical Research Center, the hospital led a major clinical trial confirming that iSelfie.ai, a Canadian-developed AI platform, can accurately detect early signs of heart disease.

More than 1,000 people participated in this study, which received approval from both the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Research and Studies General Department.

How does it work?

iSelfie.ai does something quite extraordinary with something quite ordinary — a selfie. Using a regular smartphone camera, the platform scans a person's face and, within seconds, analyzes subtle color changes and micro-movements invisible to the human eye. The result? Measurements of vital signs such as:

• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Oxygen saturation
• Respiratory rate

And it does all this without any wires, cuffs, or probes. According to Seha's trial, the system's readings were almost identical to those produced by standard hospital equipment — only faster and far more accessible.

Why does it matter?

Cardiovascular diseases remain the world's leading cause of death, often striking silently and late. A technology that can flag early warning signs with nothing more than a selfie could be a game changer. It's fast, cost-effective, and — most importantly — available to anyone with a phone. For developing health systems and remote communities, that's a small miracle in a palm-sized package. As the study notes, its "accuracy is comparable to traditional medical devices," positioning iSelfie.ai as a credible ally in preventive care.

Beyond heart health, the implications are huge. AI tools like this could help reduce hospital loads, empower people to monitor themselves, and even shift healthcare from the clinic to the living room.

The context

This isn't Seha Virtual Hospital's first foray into frontier tech. Launched during last year's Global Health Exhibition, its Digital Clinical Research Center is already running five advanced studies exploring artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and telemedicine. Each project aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 — a national plan to modernize and digitize healthcare while improving quality of life and patient safety.

The iSelfie.ai success follows earlier trials in the US, Canada, and Brazil, but the Saudi-led study marks a regional milestone. It also reflects a growing belief that collaboration between national institutions and global innovators is key to unlocking healthcare's digital future. In short, Seha isn't just testing AI — it's showing the world how to make it work for everyone.