Saudi Ministry of Interior launches AI service for people with disabilities on Absher

The Ministry of Interior launched a personal assistance service on the Absher platform for people with disabilities, allowing them to access services using advanced voice recognition and AI.

Prince Bandar bin Abdullah Al-Mishari, the assistant minister of interior for technology affairs, told the second Digital Government Forum in Riyadh that the service enabled quick and easy access to ensure a "distinguished user experience."

This aligns with the goals of the ministry in promoting the progress of digital transformation initiatives, developing services, and making them accessible to all sections of society.

Individuals with disabilities comprise 7.1 percent of the Kingdom's population.

What's Absher all about?

Provided by the Saudi Interior Ministry, Absher is a smartphone app and a web portal that allows citizens of Saudi Arabia to use a variety of governmental services. For instance, it allows users to apply for jobs and Hajj permits, update their passport information, and report crimes electronically.

Overall, the application provides access to more than 270 services for residents of Saudi Arabia — including making appointments, renewing IDs and driver's licenses, and more.

According to the Ministry, Absher has more than 20 million users.

The context

The two-day Digital Government Forum, which boasted the theme "Our Future Now," concluded on Dec. 20. It was attended by various government entities and ministers, as well as a group of experts, specialists, and decision-makers in the field of digital government at both local and international levels.

The forum also revealed the results of the Digital Transformation Measurement 2023, which is aimed at improving the performance and effectiveness of government entities to accelerate the pace of digital transformation, advancing the Kingdom in international indicators in line with the programs and targets of Saudi Vision 2030.