AI developer Harrison.ai is expanding its business model by supporting a teleradiology venture called Frontier Radiology that’s scaling up and hiring radiologists. But the move drew unwanted attention from a critical article in the Australian news media this week.
Harrison is best known for its suite of AI algorithms for both radiology and pathology applications, as well as its Harrison.Rad 1.5 foundation model that can draft reports for radiologist review.
- Harrison is based in Australia, but has recently made the U.S. market a major focus, with co-founder and CEO Dimitry Tran relocating to California to spearhead the initiative.
But it was Harrison’s newfound U.S. focus that apparently drew the attention of ABC News, an Australian news outlet that on September 7 published a critical article that questioned the company’s moves, in particular its involvement with Frontier Radiology.
- One bone of contention in the story was whether Harrison’s U.S. emphasis was appropriate given the Australian government’s 2025 investment of US$23M in the company. The story also claimed Harrison was planning layoffs of Australian staff and that its integration of AI with Frontier’s clinical services could be a conflict of interest.
But in an interview with The Imaging Wire, Dimitry Tran clarified Harrison’s strategic direction and its involvement with Frontier Radiology.
- Tran noted that Frontier is owned and operated by a radiologist – Joshua Ewell, DO – in accordance with U.S. rules requiring physician ownership of entities providing clinical services.
Ewell’s LinkedIn profile says Frontier will be an “AI-native radiology group” built entirely around AI foundation models.
- Harrison is providing Frontier with non-clinical services, including its suite of AI algorithms, which are already helping Frontier teleradiologists achieve industry-leading report turnaround times. But Frontier radiologists are free to use any AI solutions they wish – including those of Harrison’s competitors.
Tran noted that close cooperation between AI developers and imaging services providers is hardly unusual anymore in radiology.
- Indeed, two of the specialty’s largest U.S. providers – Radiology Partners and RadNet – have formed their own AI divisions to provide algorithms to both their own radiologists and outside customers.
The ABC News article conflated a number of recent developments into a narrative that doesn’t reflect reality, Tran believes.
- For example, the layoffs that occurred earlier this year at Harrison were connected to the company’s transition from an aggressive R&D phase into a commercialization push and weren’t related to Harrison’s U.S. entry.
And the Australian government’s funding was part of an investment that gave it a single-digit equity stake in the company – a stake it retains to this day and that will prove increasingly profitable with Harrison’s growing success.
- Even as it supports Frontier, Harrison plans to continue its focus on AI algorithm development and commercialization, especially of the Harrison.Rad foundation model – while keeping the “vast majority” of its employees in Australia.
The Takeaway
Putting aside the ABC article’s negative spin, Harrison’s move into teleradiology offers an intriguing twist on the growing integration between AI and imaging services providers. Given ongoing workforce shortages and rising imaging volume, it’s perhaps the best way to move the chains toward finding relief for beleaguered radiologists.
