Bayer has announced it will discontinue its Calantic Digital Solutions AI platform and wind down services provided by its subsidiary Blackford Analysis.
This brings an end to Bayer’s five-year push to build a radiology AI platform, designed to make it easier for hospitals and imaging centers to access third-party applications. Blackford, which Bayer acquired in 2023, had built one of the largest ecosystems in the field, with more than 150 apps from over 60 developers.
Bayer says it will shift resources into other growth areas, while a core team will remain in place to support existing Blackford customers during the transition. Market watchers point out that this decision highlights ongoing challenges for AI platforms in radiology, from slower than expected adoption and limited reimbursement to integration hurdles in clinical practice.
It’s an important move in the AI platform sector, and it could be just Bayer stepping away from radiology AI, or a broader sign that the AI platform model itself is under pressure. Time will tell.
Imaging Wire wrote a thorough analysis