ACR Leaders Chart the Future of Radiology AI at ECR 2026

ACR® Board of Chancellors Chair Alan H. Matsumoto, MD, FACR, and Vice Chair Christoph Wald, MD, PhD, MBA, FACR, energized ECR 2026 attendees with a dynamic look at where radiology AI stands today, how the College is shaping its present and future, and how radiology leaders can navigate the rapidly evolving landscape.

In his presentation — Inside the Healthcare AI Arena: ACR's Insights on Generative AI for Radiology — Dr. Wald made the case that 2026 is the "year of the foundation model", with imaging practice on the precipice of deploying next-generation AI in real clinical settings.

He outlined ACR's role in building the matching infrastructure and scalable, expert-based evaluation frameworks needed to assess generative AI solutions — both through the Healthcare AI Challenge consortium and the continuously evolving Assess-AI platform, the U.S. national AI registry operated by ACR. He closed by inviting attendees to join ACR's new Informatics International Membership category and become part of the global AI conversation ACR is convening.

Dr. Matsumoto’s session — National AI Monitoring: Learning from the ACR Experience — outlined lessons learned from the ACR® Recognized Center for Healthcare-AI (ARCH-AI) program and Assess AI registry, which help practices implement AI safely and effectively, and monitor clinical AI use to give leaders data needed to build trust, reduce risk and optimize performance.