This article examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can supplement human expertise to optimize clinical trial protocols and improve study completion rates by targeting subject recruitment and retention. The integration of AI represents not a replacement of human judgment but a critical bridge—linking innovation with the efficiency and adaptability that modern clinical research urgently requires.

Increasingly complex and costly clinical trials mean significant increases in workload for frontline clinical research staff such as clinical research coordinators (CRCs). For CRCs, this means higher cognitive load, increased per-patient workload, and a greater probability of errors that can compromise both patient safety and data integrity. This commentary illustrates how the CRC role necessitates a more data-driven and strategic function, while simultaneously preserving core competencies in patient care and clinical judgment. Furthermore, it identifies existing gaps and potential areas for future exploration regarding the practical implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools within clinical research workflows.