Top 5 Strategic Imperatives for Clinical Leaders in 2026

In 2026, the rate of adoption for clinical trial technology is slowing as AI experimentation is taking off. 

Florence’s 2026 State of Clinical Trial Technology Report is here. After surveying 400+ clinical trial professionals, we uncovered the AI inflection point that is defining the next era of clinical trial operations.

Short on time? Explore the top 5 industry imperatives to help your organization act quickly.

Each imperative will explore the following: 

• The AI Inflection Point
  How AI is widening the chasm for organizations with modern digital infrastructure, and exposing those still dependent on paper, email, and fragmented systems.
• The Power of Flexible Digital Mandates
  Why rigid, top-down mandates fail, and how flexible approaches can unlock transformation for 56% of clinical trial documentation that still originate on paper.
• The Next Wave of Site-Facing Technology
  What’s coming next in feasibility, recruitment, participant payments, lab management, contracts, image management, and what a leading site technology stack looks like.
• Where AI Experimentation Is Taking Off
  Which AI use cases are most prevalent today and where gaps in digitization, data quality, governance, and system connectivity must be addressed to scale responsibly.
• The Move Towards Persistent Intelligence
  Why sponsors need to break the transactional study-by-study model and invest in longitudinal datasets that enable smarter site feasibility and selection.

Download the strategic imperatives for 2026 now.