Closing the AI Gap Between Big Tech and MedTech

This year’s AdvaMed MedTech Conference in San Diego was buzzing with a highly relevant theme in the Life Sciences industry: Artificial intelligence is redefining how value is created across the healthcare ecosystem, and MedTech is in catch-up mode. While the sector has long excelled in product innovation and regulatory rigor, CEOs and industry leaders acknowledge that it remains five to ten years behind Big Tech in integrating data, AI, and software-driven intelligence into devices and clinical workflows. MedTech leaders are all asking the same question: “How do we close the gap?” 

The conversation has shifted from whether AI belongs in MedTech, to how quickly it can be adopted, who is doing what, and who has the leadership capability to make it happen. These practical examples show how AI is already reshaping businesses: 

1. Stryker’s FDA-approved Blueprint platform uses AI to guide surgeons through preoperative planning, transforming thousands of surgical data points into personalized recommendations. 
2. Hologic has embedded AI into radiology and diagnostics while building a governance framework to ensure responsible, HIPAA-compliant data use. 
3. Insulet leverages predictive modeling to identify when diabetic patients may disengage from their insulin pods, enabling early intervention and improving patient outcomes. 

The use cases are multiplying, driving workflow efficiency, precision medicine, and healthcare democratization. Executives agree that the return on AI investment remains uncertain but it is too strategic to ignore.

MedTech’s next evolution depends as much on people as on technology. To unlock AI’s potential, organizations must rethink culture, who they hire and how they work. The reality is that many of the most advanced SMEs with deep capabilities in data modeling, machine learning, and automation reside in Big Data, enterprise SaaS, fintech, and cloud-native environments, and not within MedTech.

MedTech’s path forward requires importing that outside-in expertise while fostering a culture that embraces experimentation and continuous learning. The cultural divide between AI-fluent digital natives and established healthcare professionals underscore the need to create environments where both can thrive. As one leader put it, “We need to build organizations that lean into AI, rather than fear it.”

True’s foundation of placing expert operators and cutting-edge technology executives for over a decade gives us the insight we need to help our clients navigate the convergence of Big Tech and MedTech. We map external talent markets, understand where AI capabilities are most advanced, and build targeted recruitment strategies that focus on translational fit rather than traditional industry alignment. 

AI is no longer a concept in MedTech. It’s here, reshaping how innovation happens. At a moment when AI is transforming every aspect of how healthcare is delivered and measured, leadership is often the ultimate differentiator. True is energized to continue helping our clients close the AI gap by building the leadership teams that will operationalize AI, bridging technical innovation with clinical impact.

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