Not Just Smart—Autonomous: The Next Evolution of AI in Life Sciences
AI is everywhere, but it’s evolving fast. What began as intelligent assistants automating routine tasks is now entering a new era, defined by autonomy. Few sectors feel this transformation more deeply than life sciences, especially in clinical trials and commercial operations. Last year, Generative AI stunned the world with its creative output, from summarising documents to generating scientific content. But that was only the start. As we move through 2025, a new wave is taking hold: agentic AI systems that can act independently, make real-time decisions, and dynamically adapt. In life sciences, that means seismic change. “Agentic AI isn’t just helping. It’s thinking, acting, and learning on its own,” said Manish Mittal, Head of Global Delivery and India Country Head at Axtria. “In drug development operations, that translates to faster clinical trials, smarter patient recruitment, and real-time insights that help teams act proactively, long before traditional reports would have surfaced concerns.” Clinical Trials on Autopilot? Almost. Clinical trials today are complex, time-intensive, and costly. They require tight orchestration, from patient recruitment and eligibility checks to regulatory compliance and real-time monitoring of endpoints. These tasks often demand large teams and months (if not years) of work. With Agentic AI, intelligent agents can coordinate and optimise each step: predicting recruitment bottlenecks, streamlining protocol adherence, automating data reviews, or flagging anomalies, all in real time. Yes, speed is an essential factor, but it is also about precision, transparency, and better patient outcomes. Commercial Operations: From Static to Self-Optimising The promise of Agentic AI doesn’t end at the trial. In commercial operations, where decisions around sales, marketing, and field-force effectiveness shape a drug’s success, AI agents are already making a mark. These systems can optimise territory alignments, personalise messaging based on healthcare professional behaviour, triage insights from market feedback, and even dynamically reallocate resources based on real-world evidence. “Agentic AI is ushering in a new era of real-time responsiveness,” Mittal explains. “Commercial teams can now make decisions not based on quarterly data, but on what’s happening today.” The Real Bottleneck: Scaling AI Across the Enterprise Despite its potential, scaling AI across the life sciences value chain remains a formidable challenge. Many generic tools struggle with the field’s complexity, including medical jargon, regulatory constraints, siloed data systems, and deeply specialised workflows. The talent gap and lack of integration flexibility only make adoption more difficult. At Axtria, we’ve invested in overcoming these barriers with Axtria InsightsMAx.ai—a domain-specific platform designed to support the real-world workflows of life sciences organisations. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all AI approach, our platform provides a library of autonomous, pre-trained AI agents that integrate seamlessly into pharma ecosystems. Consider them as specialised digital teammates: compliant, enterprise-ready, and purpose-built. Domain-Specific Agents: Pharma’s Secret Weapon Unlike general AI models, Axtria’s agents are tailored for the realities of the pharmaceutical world. Whether optimising patient drop-out prediction, automating data operations, or refining field-force activity planning, there’s an agent for each use case. “These aren’t automation bots,” Mittal said. “They’re decision-makers who understand the nuances of pharma workflows, comply with strict regulations, and evolve with feedback, all without needing users to write a single line of code.” AI Isn’t Just About Tools—It’s About People To fully capitalise on Agentic AI, companies need more than software. They need a future-ready workforce. “The question is no longer if AI will transform pharma—it already is,” Mittal said. “The real question is: How fast can organisations pivot to embrace it?” Many companies still lean heavily on external hires to fill capability gaps. But that’s not a long-term solution. The next-gen life sciences workforce must be built, not bought. That means retraining existing teams, building AI literacy, and embedding cross-functional fluency between data, science, and strategy. At Axtria, we’ve institutionalised this with the Axtria Institute (AI), a dedicated initiative focused on continuous upskilling, capability-building, and creating AI fluency across all levels of the organisation. “Companies need more than data scientists,” Mittal said. “They need translators, engineers, and design thinkers who connect science with strategy and insights.” The Future: AI-First Pharma Built on Talent and Trust The technology is here, but to fully realise its potential, pharmaceutical leaders must implement three critical shifts. First, they should adopt AI-first operating models, which involve thoroughly embedding AI into their clinical and commercial strategies. Second, it is essential to establish connected data ecosystems, providing AI with clean, contextual, and compliant data. Lastly, organisations must focus on creating AI-literate talent models that enable staff to collaborate with AI effectively rather than merely working alongside it. By making these changes, pharma can harness the true power of AI. A Tectonic Shift in Pharma Agentic AI isn’t a buzzword—it marks a foundational shift. While some companies are merely adapting, others like Axtria are embracing it and taking charge. By fusing intelligent systems with domain expertise, clean data, and a forward-looking talent strategy, life sciences can move toward a future that’s faster, smarter, and more patient-centric. AI is reshaping the very fabric of pharma. Those who act now will do more than lead the market, they’ll reinvent it.
Intelligent AI Agents are transforming clinical trials and commercial operations with speed, precision, and real-time decision-making.
Intelligent AI Agents are transforming clinical trials and commercial operations with speed, precision, and real-time decision-making. 
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["AI", "ML", "generative AI", "agentic AI", "Tecton", "TPU", "R", "Go", "Rust", "Git"]
Manish Mittal- Head of Global Delivery and India Country Head, Axtria. With 20+ years of experience in analytics and consulting, Manish leads Global Delivery at Axtria India. He helps global pharma and life sciences companies drive tech transformation and business value through data and process innovation. At Axtria, he focuses on service optimization, product innovation, and building CoEs for emerging tech.
Known for his people-first leadership, Manish champions a culture of innovation and has led key initiatives like the Axtria Institute. He is a strong advocate for India’s STEM talent and its role in advancing personalized healthcare through data-driven insights.