FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine
Change the economics of clinical trial video communication
Create high-quality, study-specific videos in hours rather than days, with the consistency, governance and control required for clinical research.
ICON’s FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine brings AI-powered scale to clinical trial communications without handing control of the communication process to AI.
Unlike unrestricted generative AI video tools, FIRECREST uses a structured production methodology developed by ICON experts. Communication approaches, templates, and governance are predefined, while AI executes and scales the production process.
Built on more than 25 years of FIRECREST experience
AI provides the production engine, but the value extends beyond the technology itself.
FIRECREST has more than 25 years of experience creating communications for clinical trials. Today, the platform supports more than half a million site users worldwide and has delivered more than five million clinical study-related trainings and manual video expertise across 2,000 studies.
We direct. AI executes.
The result is a faster, more scalable way to use video across clinical trial communications, helping sponsors create engaging experiences for investigator sites while maintaining oversight of production, review, approval and launch.
Clinical trial communication needs to drive action
Clinical research depends on effective communication.
Investigator sites need to understand study opportunities, assess whether they are a good fit, respond to feasibility requests and ultimately activate and recruit. Over time, patients also need clear information that helps them understand studies and remain engaged.
Video can make complex information easier to understand and more engaging to consume. But traditional video production has historically been difficult to deploy extensively across clinical trial programmes.
Every new video can require scripting, creative development, production, editing, review and approval. Multiply that across studies, countries and communications, and the cost and production effort can quickly become prohibitive.
FIRECREST changes that model.
AI-powered production. Human-directed communication.
The FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine transforms study information into professionally produced video using a predefined communication and production methodology.
Study-specific information is provided to the engine and AI executes the defined production process, significantly reducing the manual effort required to create each video.
Production timelines can be reduced from weeks to hours, making it possible to consider video for communications where traditional development models may previously have made it impractical.
And importantly, the communication strategy itself is not being delegated to AI.
FIRECREST experts define the methodology
Communication structures, templates and production approaches are developed using FIRECREST expertise and experience.
Production rules are codified
The engine operates within a defined framework rather than independently determining how study information should be communicated.
AI executes at scale
AI performs and scales defined production activities, enabling study-specific content to be produced significantly faster.
Sponsors retain oversight
Production, review, approval and launch remain controlled processes, while sponsor-confidential information stays within ICON’s secure environment.
Directed AI, not unrestricted generation
There is an important distinction between using generative AI to create communications and using AI to execute a controlled communication process.
FIRECREST takes the second approach.
The engine combines AI capabilities with predefined communication methodology, templates, production rules and governance developed by ICON and sponsor subject matter experts.
This enables sponsors to benefit from the speed and scalability of AI while maintaining the structure and oversight expected in regulated clinical research.
Human expertise defines the approach. AI scales the execution.
Built specifically for clinical trials
FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine is not a general-purpose AI video creation tool adapted for clinical research. It has been developed within FIRECREST for the specific communication requirements of clinical trials.
The approach brings together:
- Governed production
Defined methodologies and workflows support greater consistency across video communications. - Repeatable outputs
Codified production rules enable the same underlying communication approach to be applied repeatedly across study-specific videos. - Sponsor oversight
Sponsors maintain control of review, approval and launch processes. - Secure handling of information
Sponsor-confidential information remains within ICON’s secure environment. - Clinical trial expertise
The engine draws on FIRECREST’s established experience creating study communications and proven content approaches.
That experience provides the foundation for the structured communication approaches, content and templates used by the AI Directed Video Engine.
Instead of asking AI to determine from scratch how complex clinical study information should be communicated, FIRECREST codifies proven expertise and makes it scalable.
First application: site selection and feasibility
The first application of the FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine supports site selection and feasibility.
During site identification and selection, investigator sites need to rapidly assess whether a clinical study is relevant to their capabilities, patient population and operational environment.
Traditionally, much of this information is communicated through written study documentation.
FIRECREST adds a more engaging communication layer.
Study-specific information can be transformed into a concise site selection video that helps investigators and site teams understand key aspects of the opportunity, including:
- Study objectives
- Target patient populations
- Protocol requirements
- Key operational considerations
- Potential benefits of participation
The video can complement existing documentation and help sites understand the opportunity before progressing through the feasibility process.
Engage sites. Accelerate communication. Maintain control.
The FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine is designed to help sponsors rethink where and how video can be used within clinical trial communication.
By dramatically reducing the time and production effort traditionally associated with video, sponsors can create richer communication experiences while retaining the consistency and governance required across clinical programmes.
For site selection and feasibility, the approach aims to help:
- Improve CDA/eCDS and questionnaire response rates
- Reduce CDA/eCDS turnaround times
- Increase investigator-site engagement
- Improve communication effectiveness during feasibility and study start-up
- Create a more consistent experience across study communications
The future of clinical trial communication is directed, governed and scalable
The opportunity for AI in clinical research is not simply to generate more content.
It is to combine human expertise with automation so that proven approaches can be executed faster, more consistently and at greater scale.
That is the principle behind FIRECREST AI Directed Video Engine.