How does a technology leader transform IT from a cost center into a revenue-generating innovation engine?

In this episode, we sit down with

David Baker, Chief Information and Digital Officer at PDS Health, a trailblazing organization pioneering the "mouth-body connection" to deliver truly holistic patient care. David shares a masterclass on how to align technology with a long-term business plan, moving beyond theory to deploy AI, automation, and "hyper-personalization" at scale across more than a thousand healthcare practices. He unpacks the real-world challenges and successes of integrating best-of-breed systems like Epic and Salesforce to create a seamless and empathetic patient journey.

What’s really holding AI back in life sciences?

In this episode, we sit down with Dave Rosner, Partner – Global Life Sciences Customer Engagement Leader, to unpack the realities of AI in pharma beyond the buzzwords. Drawing from decades of experience driving customer engagement strategies, Dave shares what most organizations overlook when it comes to AI, data, and digital transformation.

We explore:

• 🚫 Why AI fails without solving a real business problem

• 🔄 How shifting from dashboards to decisions drives better outcomes

• 🧠 The cultural and operational blockers that stall innovation

• 📉 Why personalization efforts fall flat—and how to fix them

If you're working in pharma, biotech, or health tech, this conversation cuts through the noise with practical takeaways.

🎧 Listen now and get honest about what it takes to make AI stick.

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Apple Podcasts

Chapters

00:00 Navigating AI in Life Sciences

06:45 AI's Impact on Workforce Dynamics

11:48 Bridging the Data Readiness Gap

16:18 Evaluating ROI in AI Investments

19:38 Governance and Experimentation in AI

22:45 Innovative AI Use Cases in Pharma

27:37 Strategizing AI Implementation

What does the future of AI in life sciences really look like—beyond the hype?

In this episode of the AI Trailblazers Podcast, we sit down with Frank Defesche, SVP & GM of Health & Life Sciences at Salesforce, to unpack the seismic shifts happening at the intersection of AI, pharma, CRM, and compliance.

Frank shares insights from decades of leadership—from helping build Veeva, to leading Salesforce's Life Sciences strategy today. We explore how AI agents are transforming engagement models, what life sciences companies can learn from the Takeda partnership, and why now is the moment to rethink the entire CRM experience.

🔥 In this episode:

• Why the “tolerated” CRM is dead—and what’s replacing it

• The real use cases for AI agents in pharma and biotech

• What industry needs to unlearn before innovation can scale

• How Salesforce is pushing past forms and fields to build trusted, intelligent systems people actually want to use

Whether you’re in commercial operations, medical affairs, or data strategy—Frank offers a front-row seat to how AI is changing the game.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Life Sciences Cloud and AI Innovations

03:00 Ensuring Compliance in Life Sciences with AI

05:40 The Importance of Data Quality in AI Applications

08:19 Partnerships and Customer-Centric Innovations

10:37 The Role of the Partner Network in Life Sciences

15:27 Future Disruptions in Life Sciences through AI

19:10 Listening to Customer Needs in Life Sciences

21:28 Conclusion and Future Outlook