Smarter, Leaner, Safer: Intelligent Workflow Automation in Life Sciences | USDM Summit 2026

Workflow automation is now the fastest path to higher throughput, lower cost, and stronger audit readiness — but most life sciences organizations are automating the wrong layer. In this highlights session from the USDM Life Sciences Summit 2026, leaders from ServiceNow, Box, Abbott, and USDM explore how to modernize Quality, Lab, R&D, and IT operations with intelligent automation — and how to scale AI from pilot to production without breaking GxP compliance. What's covered: Why automating tasks (not workflows) leaves cycle time unchanged The real cost of manual workflows: latency, variability, and opportunity cost ServiceNow's architecture for life sciences — federating data across systems, not duplicating it CSA as an automation accelerator and continuous validation enabler How a top-3 pharma reduced M&A data ingestion from 18 months to 2 months Metadata-driven processes as the foundation for audit readiness and AI scale Treating automation as a product, not a project Panelists: Hovsep Kirikian, VP Strategy & Operations, USDM Life Sciences Vishakha Sant, Global Head of Product, Healthcare, Life Sciences & Payer, ServiceNow Manu Vohra, VP of Life Sciences, Box Elizabeth Warnock, Director, Global IT Software Quality Assurance, Abbott Watch the full Summit 2026 session: https://www.usdm.com/resources/webina... Related reading: → Data integrity in life sciences: https://www.usdm.com/data/data-integr... → 21 CFR Part 11 compliance: https://www.usdm.com/regulations/21-c... → Computer Software Assurance (CSA): https://www.usdm.com/regulations/comp... --- USDM Life Sciences partners with leading pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device organizations to evolve regulated operations and accelerate innovation. Learn more at usdm.com. Evolving regulated operations to accelerate innovation. 00:00 Introduction — Why Intelligent Automation Is the Priority for 2026 [01:35] The Real Cost of Manual Workflows: Latency, Variability, and Opportunity Cost [01:57] ServiceNow's Architecture — Federating Data Across Life Sciences Systems [03:00] Abbott Case Study: Process First, Technology Second [03:35] CSA as an Automation Accelerator and Continuous Validation Enabler [03:50] From 18 Months to 2: Intelligent Automation in M&A Data Ingestion [06:27] Metadata-Driven Processes and Audit Readiness at Scale [07:28] Treating Automation as a Product, Not a Project [08:35] Key Takeaways — Designing Workflows That Reduce Risk