Illustration for: TCS launches AI platform for trial oversight as India's AI use rises to 86% from 65%
Business & Startups

TCS launches AI platform for trial oversight as India's AI use rises to 86% from 65%

2 min read

Tata Consultancy Services rolled out a new artificial‑intelligence platform aimed at streamlining clinical‑trial supervision, a move that arrives as hospitals and contract research organisations across India lean ever more heavily on automated tools. The service promises to automate patient‑matching, flag safety signals earlier and cut the administrative lag that often drags studies out for months. While the technology itself is still being tested in pilot sites, the timing feels deliberate: recent data show a sharp uptick in AI adoption within the country’s health‑care global capability centres.

That momentum suggests a broader shift toward data‑centric processes, making TCS’s gamble less of a lone experiment and more of a response to market pressure. The question now is whether the platform can translate those macro‑level trends into tangible gains for trial sponsors and participants alike.

Industry trends support TCS's push toward AI-driven oversight. Adoption of AI in India's healthcare GCCs has risen sharply from 65% in 2019 to 86% in 2024, Zinnov managing partner Karthik Padmanabhan told AIM, noting that AI tools are now central to improving patient recruitment, monitoring risks, a

Industry trends support TCS's push toward AI-driven oversight. Adoption of AI in India's healthcare GCCs has risen sharply from 65% in 2019 to 86% in 2024, Zinnov managing partner Karthik Padmanabhan told AIM, noting that AI tools are now central to improving patient recruitment, monitoring risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance. The update comes as the life sciences industry increasingly relies on AI and analytics to navigate stricter regulations and the challenges of decentralised, adaptive trials.

TCS notes that the platform is aligned with international guidelines ICH E6(R2) and the upcoming E6(R3), and incorporates Quality by Design principles from the start of a study through execution. TCS says the platform has been used in more than 1,300 studies across 32,000 sites, a sign that AI-driven oversight is fast becoming a standard part of modern clinical research.

Related Topics: #AI #clinical trial #TCS #Tata Consultancy Services #Zinnov #Karthik Padmanabhan #ICH E6(R2) #GCCs

Will the new TCS platform deliver on its promises? The AI‑enhanced upgrade to TCS ADD’s Risk‑Based Quality Management suite adds four modules—risk assessment, quality‑tolerance limits, trial analytics and subject‑level monitoring—intended to give drugmakers real‑time insight into increasingly complex studies. It aims to flag hazards earlier, tighten data quality and simplify oversight, all while fitting into a market where AI use in India’s healthcare GCCs has climbed from 65 % in 2019 to 86 % in 2024, according to Zinnov’s Karthik Padmanabhan.

Yet, the article provides no evidence of pilot outcomes or independent validation, leaving the actual impact on recruitment efficiency or risk reduction unclear. Moreover, regulatory acceptance of AI‑driven monitoring remains uncertain, and integration with existing trial workflows could pose practical challenges. The initiative reflects a broader shift toward algorithmic support, but whether it will translate into measurable improvements for sponsors and patients alike is still an open question.

Further Reading

Common Questions Answered

What are the four new modules added to TCS ADD’s Risk‑Based Quality Management suite?

The platform introduces risk assessment, quality‑tolerance limits, trial analytics, and subject‑level monitoring. These modules are designed to give drugmakers real‑time insight and help flag hazards earlier during complex clinical studies.

How does TCS’s AI platform aim to improve patient‑matching and safety signal detection in clinical trials?

The AI platform automates the patient‑matching process, quickly identifying eligible participants based on trial criteria. It also uses advanced analytics to flag safety signals sooner, reducing the risk of adverse events going unnoticed.

What recent trend in AI adoption within India’s healthcare GCCs supports TCS’s launch?

AI usage in India’s healthcare global capability centers (GCCs) has risen from 65% in 2019 to 86% in 2024, according to Zinnov. This sharp increase underscores the growing reliance on AI for patient recruitment, risk monitoring, and regulatory compliance.

Is the TCS AI platform already fully deployed across India’s clinical‑trial ecosystem?

No, the technology is still being tested in pilot sites and has not yet been rolled out nationwide. TCS is using these pilots to validate the platform’s ability to cut administrative lag and improve data quality before broader adoption.