In 2016, Geoffrey Hinton, the AI ‘godfather,’ predicted radiologists would be replaced by computers within five years. Today, his prediction—like Mark Twain’s death report—is being revised.

Radiology's ranks are growing steadily, with a projected expansion of over 26% in the next three decades. Yet, Hinton was prescient: AI is now a silicon-based colleague that matches or exceeds human performance.

According to early 2026 data, about three-quarters of FDA-approved AI-enabled medical devices are for radiology. These tools range from drafting reports and alerting to urgent images, to identifying abnormalities that may not be visible to the human eye. For instance, an analysis concluded that AI-assisted colonoscopies reveal more polyps than conventional ones.

Improving accuracy is crucial; however, simply replacing humans with machines isn't the solution. The future lies in combining technical precision with human experience and flexibility for patient benefit.