Competitive differentiation with AI: Why you need a scalable strategy
Exploring how industry leaders plan to harness AI and emerging technologies to drive growth, and why implementation will require strategic investment.
Advances in data, digital transformation, and AI are poised to reshape clinical trial operations and redefine strategic priorities – if we can harness them. Recent research reveals how industry executives are approaching this shift, with 93% expecting to increase investment in these areas in 2025.
Success depends on aligning these advancements with real-world needs and actionable strategies. To realize potential from their investments, sponsors need to address stubborn barriers, prioritize data, and embrace user-centric digital technology.
Executive insights
Collated responses from leaders across biotechnology, pharma, and life sciences illustrate both the promise and the complexities of adopting generative AI and other transformative technologies, with a survey from industry consultant ZS highlighting shared views around:
1. Generative AI as a growth driver
95% of respondents agree that AI and emerging technologies are as or more influential than traditional factors, like cost and consumer preferences, in shaping business strategy. Nearly all executives recognize AI’s potential to transition from a supporting function to a central pillar of success.
2. Tech-led strategy
This shift in focus elevates digital and AI initiatives from operational enablers to core drivers of competitive differentiation. Respondents indicate promising investments in digital, data and AI - including 48% expecting results within just 12 months in how they improve customer experiences and 35% in digital enabled trials. High-quality data and cross-functional expertise are cited as essential to balancing innovation with risk.
3. Challenges in scaling AI
While many teams have demonstrated success in generating tangible value - initiatives so far often struggle to consistently deliver results at scale.
Addressing the gaps
Despite advancements in digital transformation, significant barriers persist. Organizations frequently grapple with fragmented systems that disrupt workflows and limit or prevent insights. Technologies that lack user-centric design fall short in meeting the needs of site staff and study teams, impacting productivity and engagement. Additionally, mounting pressure to demonstrate measurable results can lead to a focus on isolated successes rather than sustainable, scalable impact.
A deeper issue lies in the disconnect between tools and the realities of clinical trials. Many platforms fail to address the nuances of site management, from communication bottlenecks to siloed data repositories. Continuing to operate without well-integrated, purpose-built solutions limits the potential of AI to support trial efficiency, streamline workflows and deliver impactful real-time data insights.
- Simplify fragmented workflows: Automate repetitive tasks and integrate insights within cohesive, purpose-built platforms to enhance productivity and engagement.
- Interconnect study stakeholders: Streamline information sharing and access, and deliver best-in-class support services; funneling activity through measurable channels.
- Scale performance growth: Leverage predictive analytics and prompt or initiate next-best actions to manage bottlenecks and resolve issues proactively.
By embedding generative AI into a broader, user-centric ecosystem, sponsors can ensure strategies deliver measurable value and sustain momentum towards their goals, at a pace that is manageable for them.
Data-Led Trial Management
Our latest webinar explores a fresh approach to measuring and managing performance - particularly with low or non-recruiting sites. Our speakers demonstrate how leading indicators of site engagement unlock value from your recruitment metrics, feeding targeted interventions that reduce time to LPI and optimize spend.
What next?
To bridge these gaps, the industry must seek solutions that are designed from the ground up to address the realities of trial conduct. AI functionality or tools should be seamlessly integrated to amplify and enhance a strong fundamental offering.
The 3 key priorities for consideration are:
1. Strategic rollout
Leveraging AI effectively requires more than just implementation. Integration into enterprise-wide strategies involves not only aligning AI initiatives with organizational goals but also ensuring the availability of high-quality data to drive actionable insights.
2. Human-first implementation
User-centric design is critical. Solutions built to deliver simplicity and practicality empower site staff and study teams to navigate complex workflows with ease, reducing friction and enhancing productivity. By first prioritizing intuitive interfaces and responsive support, companies looking to benefit from AI advancements can continue to sustain engagement and trust.
3. Robust analytics
Adoption of proactive decision-making frameworks is essential.
- 77% of executives have overhauled their data strategy or plan to do so
- 43% report actively working on expanding their data-sharing ability
- 38% plan on expanding their data-sharing ability
For clinical trials, leading indicators and predictive analytics enable study teams to anticipate challenges and act decisively, minimizing delays and optimizing outcomes. When paired with AI generated insights, task handling or next steps – the impact can be exponential.
User-led Design
Forward-thinking sponsors are already using Teckro to build data into the heart of their trial conduct models. Pioneering the only digitized, mobile-first study protocol nearly a decade ago, Teckro have long recognized the bottom-line benefit of empowered, digitally-connected sites.
Our latest innovations include FAQ Copilot, an AI-enabled tool revolutionizing how CRAs manage site questions. FAQ Copilot integrates with our secure query channel, using AI to analyze site questions against approved FAQs centrally digitized in Teckro. Best-match answers are surfaced for CRAs directly within the conversation so they can immediately reply to the site using an approved response. When the study team resolve a query triaged by the CRA, our AI copilot identifies the gap and prompts the study team to generate a new FAQ from their response. With seamless, in-context review and approval, new FAQs are quickly made available for future reference – helping to reduce query escalations over time.
The ZS 2025 Outlook underscores the transformative potential of AI in clinical trials. Harmonizing digital innovation with integrated, user-centric solutions will not only streamline trial operations but also pay dividends in stronger, more fruitful partnerships with their sites.
Explore our recent feature releases to to see how we’re powering the digital, data-driven clinical trials of tomorrow.
See Teckro in Action
Ready to reimagine site performance? Teckro is redefining how sponsors approach trial conduct, with a profound shift in resulting study outcomes.
When it comes to bottom line ROI, partnered sponsors reduce time to LPI, make faster, better-informed site continuation decisions and optimize spend.
Take 30 minutes - Meet with our experts to discuss the measurable performance improvements possible for your study. Teckro offers a low barrier to entry with configuration to data in just 4 weeks.
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