The question of whether artificial intelligence will replace radiologists is becoming one of the most discussed topics in healthcare. The debate has gained strong attention after comments from Mitchell H. Katz, MD, president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public hospital system in the United States. Speaking at a panel hosted by Crain’s New York Business, Katz shared a vision for the future of radiology, as Radiology Business reported.
Katz said hospitals could begin replacing many radiologists with artificial intelligence once regulations are in place. He made it clear that the technology is already capable of handling many tasks. “We could replace a great deal of radiologists with AI at this moment, if we are ready to do the regulatory challenge,” Katz said during the discussion.
Hospitals already use artificial intelligence to examine medical images such as X-rays and mammograms. These systems can quickly scan images and detect possible health issues, including early signs of breast cancer. Katz explained that AI could perform the first reading of scans, while human radiologists would step in only when the system finds something unusual.
He also pointed out the financial benefits of this approach. Hospitals, especially those with limited budgets, could reduce costs by using AI rather than relying solely on highly trained specialists. “By sidelining radiologists until an AI system flags a reading as abnormal, hospitals could achieve major savings,” Katz explained. He also added that AI could improve access to screening, especially for women who need regular breast cancer checks.
Other healthcare leaders have shared similar views. David Lubarsky, MD, CEO of Westchester Medical Centre Health Network, said his system has already seen success with AI tools used for breast cancer detection. He noted that the technology is highly accurate. “For women who aren’t considered high risk, if the test comes back negative, it’s wrong only about three times out of 10,000,” Lubarsky said. This level of performance is encouraging hospitals to explore wider use of AI.
Sandra Scott, MD, CEO of One Brooklyn Health, also supported the idea of using AI more widely. She said it could be especially helpful for hospitals that are under financial pressure. “I mean, I’m in charge of a safety-net institution. It would be a game-changer,” Scott said during the panel.
Despite this growing optimism, many medical experts have raised serious concerns. Radiologists warn that current AI systems are not advanced enough to replace human doctors. According to futurism, Dr Mohammed Suhail, a radiologist at North Coast Imaging in San Diego, strongly criticised the idea. “Any attempt to implement AI-only reads would immediately result in patient harm and death,” he said.
He also warned that some hospital leaders may be too focused on cutting costs. “Only someone with zero understanding of radiology would say something so naive,” Suhail added, expressing concern that patient safety could be at risk if AI is used without proper oversight.
Recent research has added more weight to these concerns. A study by Stanford University found that some AI systems can produce detailed medical explanations even without analyzing real images. Researchers described this issue as an “AI mirage,” in which the system appears accurate but is not based on actual data.
The researchers explained the problem clearly. “The model simulates the entire perceptual process that would have led to the answer,” they said. This means the AI can create convincing results, even when it has not truly examined the image. Such errors could be dangerous in real medical situations.
Also Read: Chinese Brain-Spinal Implant Helps Paralyzed Patients Walk Again
Leaders in the technology industry have also influenced the debate with their comments. Some have claimed that AI could take over the core work of radiologists. However, many doctors disagree with this view. Neuroradiologist Ben White dismissed these claims, saying that AI remains limited in real clinical use. “AI simply doesn’t drive a meaningful part of the radiology workflow,” White said.
He explained that current AI tools mainly handle simple tasks, such as identifying specific conditions or helping organize cases. While these tools can improve efficiency, they have not replaced the need for human expertise.
The discussion shows a clear divide between industry optimism and medical caution. On the one hand, hospital leaders and tech companies see AI as a powerful tool that can reduce costs and improve access to healthcare. On the other side, doctors and researchers warn that the technology is not yet ready to replace trained professionals.
For now, most experts agree that AI will work alongside radiologists rather than replace them completely. Human doctors still play a critical role in making final decisions and ensuring patient safety.
