A proposed AI application for enhancing the quality of life of people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Stakeholders in Saudi Arabia want an AI app that bundles telehealth, job-matching chatbots, and ministry collaboration to boost QoL for people with disabilities.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Agiovlasitis et al. (2025) asked Saudi stakeholders what an AI phone app should do for people with disabilities.
They ran small group talks and one-on-one chats.
Parents, teachers, adults with disabilities, and ministry staff helped shape the wish list.
What they found
People want one app that does three jobs.
It should book tele-health visits, match users to jobs through a chatbot, and pull help from the ministry.
The goal is better health care, more friends, and more daily freedom.
How this fits with other research
Koegel et al. (2025) already show an AI chatbot can teach autistic youth to speak with empathy after only four weeks.
That backs the social side of the Saudi plan.
Yagafarova et al. (2025) prove an AI coach can guide new staff to run ABA correctly, so the app could also train aides.
Abid et al. (2024) add big-data proof: once AI use climbs past a set point, unemployment among adults with disabilities drops.
This gives the Saudi job-matching module real-world muscle.
Almasoud et al. (2023) sound a warning: Saudi parents say today’s autism services are hit-or-miss.
The new app idea is a direct reply to that complaint.
Why it matters
You can borrow the three-in-one model today.
Add an AI empathy trainer like Kern’s into social groups.
Use an AI fidelity coach like Yagafarova’s when you train RBTs.
If you work in Saudi Arabia, share the draft app specs with families and employers to keep the design grounded.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential to enhance the quality of life (QoL) for individuals with disabilities by improving access to healthcare, promoting social participation, and supporting independence. In Saudi Arabia, however, there is a gap in inclusive AI models tailored to local needs, particularly in addressing the challenges faced by people with disabilities in accessing essential services. AIMS: This article proposes an AI-supported application tailored to improve key QoL dimensions such as healthcare accessibility, social inclusion, and autonomy for people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A qualitative design was employed, involving 25 semi-structured interviews: 10 experts from medicine, rehabilitation, sociology, and AI and 15 individuals with visual, motor, or mild cognitive disabilities. Participants were recruited through rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and disability associations in Al-Ahsa using official approvals and direct outreach via email, WhatsApp, and personal meetings. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke's framework. RESULTS: The proposed AI application supports three key service areas: (1) social services (personalized chatbots, accessibility tools, and AI-driven job matching); (2) health services (telehealth monitoring and genetic-based treatment planning); (3) collaboration with ministries and AI authorities. Sustainability is addressed through measures such as free access, institutional support, and ongoing government involvement. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a context-specific, actionable AI framework to inform policy and innovation for disability inclusion in Saudi Arabia. By emphasizing local needs, stakeholder collaboration, and user-centered adaptive design, it contributes to closing the service gap for people with disabilities and offers a scalable model for inclusive digital transformation.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.105137