AI In Clinical Trials: Technology Is Only As Good As The People Behind It

BusinessAI In Clinical Trials: Technology Is Only As Good As The People Behind ItByGary Zammit,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramJun 10, 2026, 02:51pm EDTArtificial intelligence is transforming every stage of clinical trials.gettyArtificial intelligence is transforming every stage of clinical trials, from asset identification, to protocol development, to patient selection and document management. However, as the pace of technological adoption continues to accelerate, it’s important to remember that AI tools are only as good as the people implementing them. Understanding where AI in clinical trials is already at work—and where human judgment remains irreplaceable—is essential for anyone involved in drug and device development today.How AI is Being Adopted Across the Clinical Trials LifecycleAI is already being integrated across the clinical trials lifecycle at nearly every stage. It can sift through billions of data points to identify new drug targets and candidate molecules, helping pharma and biotech companies decide what to develop next. It can mine electronic health records across massive healthcare systems to identify eligible patients for trials—and agentic AI can then administer rating scales and questionnaires to evaluate eligibility. AI can also generate trial methodology, streamlining protocol design.During trials, AI can monitor patient responses, for example by analyzing voice and video in real time to assess medication response, capturing signals that traditional assessments might miss. In non-CNS studies, AI processes medical images, including X-rays, MRIs, and other scans, to achieve faster, more consistent outcome evaluation. And AI-powered platforms can also manage the hundreds of thousands of documents a single trial generates, keeping records organized and audit-ready.AI-powered Artificial Twins: A Promise for Rare Disease Patients...