Big data, AI and machine learning are no longer mere buzzwords; they have dramatically improved clinical trial data analysis, especially over the last three years, according to Christian Hebenstreit of Medidata. They will become more important as clinical trials increasingly focus on rare diseases. In this interview with In Vivo, he stresses the difference between hype and value; he posits that if a new technology provides real help, it will be adopted. Learn how one such technology–synthetic control groups–is transforming clinical trials. Discover how technological advances can address the high-touch challenges posed by patient confidentiality, patient engagement and informed consent, and how they can solve the high-tech problem of turning unstructured data into actionable information for clinical trials.