Dr. Adil Haider Appointed Inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at Carle Illinois College of Medicine

Karachi / Illinois, Jan 14 — World-renowned Pakistani-American surgeon-scientist Dr. Adil Haider, former Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College and founder of Boston Health AI, has been appointed the Inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED), the world’s first engineering-based medical school.

The appointment marks a significant global milestone in Dr. Haider’s distinguished career, which spans clinical excellence, academic leadership and health-technology innovation across Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. In this newly established role, he will lead the strategic vision, governance and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence across CI MED, advancing AI-enabled medical education, translational research and clinical innovation.

Dr. Haider joins Carle Illinois following a transformative 6.5-year tenure as Dean of Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan, during which he led one of the institution’s most ambitious growth phases. Under his leadership, the medical college quadrupled research funding, achieved top-100 global ranking status, and secured multiple international accreditations, including ACGME-International and AACME. Known for his accessibility and mentorship, Dr. Haider was widely admired by students and faculty alike.

“Working across healthcare systems around the world has taught me that technology alone does not transform care — context, trust and clinical reality do,” Dr. Haider said. “Artificial intelligence offers a powerful opportunity to strengthen systems of care at scale, but only if it is built responsibly, governed thoughtfully and grounded in real clinical needs.”

At CI MED, Dr. Haider will oversee how AI is evaluated and integrated across medicine, engineering and data science, ensuring innovation remains patient-centred and clinically relevant. His appointment reinforces Carle Illinois’ leadership at the intersection of engineering rigor, clinical excellence and artificial intelligence, shaping the future of healthcare education and delivery.

“By establishing the role of chief AI officer, Carle Illinois is signaling that artificial intelligence is foundational to the future of medicine,” said CI MED Dean Mark Cohen. “Dr. Haider brings a rare blend of academic rigor, clinical expertise and entrepreneurial experience. His leadership will help ensure AI innovation is ethical, impactful and improves real health outcomes.”

In addition to his CAIO role, Dr. Haider will serve as Medical Director for Research Informatics at Carle Foundation Hospital, strengthening alignment between academic innovation and frontline clinical practice. He will also be a Visiting Professor at the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science within the Grainger College of Engineering, creating a unique bridge between medicine, engineering and computing.

Previously, Dr. Haider served as Kessler Director of the Center for Surgery and Public Health, a joint initiative of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly a decade at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as a practicing trauma surgeon and founding Director of the Center for Surgical Trials and Outcomes Research.

An internationally recognised leader in outcomes research and health equity, Dr. Haider has authored over 450 peer-reviewed publications, secured more than USD 200 million in external research funding, and mentored over 150 trainees worldwide, many of whom now hold leadership roles in academia and healthcare systems.

In 2024, he founded Boston Health AI, a health-technology firm operating in the US, UAE and Pakistan. Through Hami, the world’s first AI clinical-intelligence companion, Dr. Haider aims to improve care for one billion patients globally through ethical, scalable and evidence-based AI solutions.

“The future of healthcare will be defined by how well we integrate technology without losing trust,” Dr. Haider added. “My focus remains on building solutions that are rigorous, ethical and grounded in real clinical needs — anywhere in the world.”