As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes industries across the world, Dr. Anthony Chang has become one of the most influential physicians leading AI’s transformation inside modern hospitals.
A pediatric cardiologist by training, Chang has spent years building systems that combine medicine, data science, and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare outcomes for children. His work has helped position him as one of America’s leading voices on AI-driven healthcare innovation.
In 2026, Chang was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the top chief innovation officers in healthcare for his pioneering work at Rady Children’s Health.
Originally born in Taiwan, Chang eventually built his medical career in the United States, specializing in pediatric cardiology and critical care medicine. Over time, however, his interests expanded beyond traditional clinical practice. He became increasingly focused on how technology and machine learning could help physicians make better decisions, reduce medical errors, and improve patient care.
At Children’s Hospital of Orange County, now part of Rady Children’s Health, Chang founded the Sharon Disney Lund Medical Intelligence, Information, Investigation and Innovation Institute. The program was designed to explore how AI and advanced analytics could become integrated into pediatric medicine. What began as an ambitious idea has since grown into one of the most recognized pediatric innovation initiatives in the country.
Chang was among the earliest physicians to advocate for AI programs specifically built inside children’s hospitals. His vision extended beyond software development; he wanted to create an entire ecosystem where physicians, engineers, and researchers could collaborate to solve healthcare problems together.
One of the most notable aspects of his work has been education. Chang developed specialized innovation and AI internship programs aimed at helping future healthcare professionals better understand emerging technologies. He has also founded several organizations dedicated to advancing medical AI collaboration, including the International Society for Pediatric Innovation and the American Board of AI in Medicine.
More recently, Chang launched the Alliance of Centers of AI in Medicine and the Pediatric Alliance of AI Centers in Medicine, bringing together over 100 institutions focused on AI-driven healthcare research and implementation. The effort reflects his broader belief that medicine’s future will depend heavily on collaboration between healthcare systems, universities, and technology leaders.
Despite the excitement surrounding AI, Chang consistently emphasizes that technology should support physicians rather than replace them. He has spoken publicly about the importance of preserving empathy and human judgment inside increasingly digital healthcare systems.
That balance between innovation and patient-centered care has become one of the defining themes of his career. While many conversations around AI focus on automation, Chang’s work often centers on improving physician decision-making, reducing burnout, and expanding access to quality care.
His influence has also grown internationally. Through conferences, educational programs, and advisory work, Chang has helped shape global discussions around how artificial intelligence should responsibly enter clinical medicine.
Today, as hospitals across the United States race to adopt AI technologies, Chang remains one of the clearest examples of a physician successfully bridging medicine and technology leadership. His career reflects a growing shift inside healthcare: doctors are no longer only clinicians, but increasingly innovators, strategists, and architects of future healthcare systems.
For many industry observers, Chang’s work represents more than technological advancement. It signals the beginning of a new era where data, machine learning, and human expertise work together to create smarter and more personalized healthcare experiences.
And while AI’s long-term impact on medicine is still unfolding, Chang has already helped ensure that pediatric healthcare will play a major role in shaping that future.
