AI and Automation in Life Sciences Labeling and Art Management | Sponsored Content

In the life sciences sector, clear and correct labels are needed to ensure user safety – but rapid changes in labeling requirements can cause obstacles. In this latest ‘In Conversation With…’ article, Esko Life Sciences Category Specialist Jackie Leslie and Life Sciences Product Manager Joe Giannotti tell us more about the value of artificial intelligence and automation in process optimization printing technology for constantly evolving technology. industry.

For our readers who may not be familiar, could you give us an overview of the art process and how automation and AI can help?

JL: The artwork process begins with a request for new label or flyer artwork, or a change to existing artwork. In the case of Life Sciences labeling, a change can be triggered by a series of events, such as safety changes, regulatory changes or technical changes; but any type of labeling request will go through a creation or update process, followed by review and approval cycles, and will go straight to printing and distribution activities.

Anyone involved in this process will know that the effort is significant due to the sheer volume of changes, the number of artworks to be managed, and the checks and balances required to ensure 100% accuracy.

As far as where automation and AI can help, generally anything that is somewhat structured, repetitive, and manually intensive – which is a lot of LS labeling – is a candidate for these types of technologies. Automation and AI can eliminate many manual activities. Not all, of course; There must still be human involvement and oversight, but automation and AI can greatly help and speed up the process.

What are the differences between semi-automatic, full automation and online editing processes, and what does each offer?

J.G.: In a semi-automatic workflow, a combination of manual and automated processes can be used to produce final artwork intended for printing. An essential feature of this workflow is the requirement for at least one manual action to complete the process.

For example, a designer employs a graphics editor and uses a plug-in to “accept” the content, which is then automatically integrated into the artwork. Once the content is placed, the designer can further refine the artwork by adjusting layers, managing overflows, and making other necessary modifications. This workflow is suitable for a variety of tasks, including redesigns, creating new designs, creating initial artwork, and developing complex designs containing complex elements.

In a fully automated workflow, all manual steps are eliminated to create print-ready artwork. For example, an operator selects content and a template and clicks “generate” to preview the new artwork. The system uses approved and adjusted art templates, along with predefined rules and approved content to generate the final design. This process is particularly suitable for tasks such as creating multi-page designs rich in text and containing multiple languages, as well as producing labels, leaflets, IFUs and inserts.

Turning our attention to the life sciences industry – in a sector where products, markets and regulations evolve rapidly, where do AI and automation come in?

J.L.: This rapid evolution is driven by the desire to make products more widely available to different markets and to make them safer, but it also means generating more works of art and managing more change.

Imagine a simple scenario where a warning statement needs to change across a product line. Today, this would typically be done manually, with a copy/paste of document content copied in MS Word into the Illustrator or InDesign artwork file, then that file would go through layers of quality checks and reviews, again very manual, to ensure the change was made correctly.

It is very manual work, which presents risks, because people can make mistakes and lose things. Furthermore, before the change process even begins, someone needs to figure out which components need to be changed, which in itself is challenging and requires manual effort.

With a portfolio of a few artworks, a manual process can be manageable. But most companies sell products in multiple countries and many products come in different strengths and strengths or presentations, so the volume of artwork increases quickly when considering all these versions.

AI and automation can help identify which artworks need to be changed, can help make the change, and can help with quality checks. It truly is a transformative opportunity to streamline the entire process.

Could you tell us more about Esko’s content management and art automation solutions and how they can benefit customers?

J.G.: Esko’s content management and art automation solutions are designed to improve companies’ management of art processes. These solutions simplify how content is managed and automate print-ready output by reusing compatible content and assets.

Think of our Content Management System (CMS) as an organized hub for your digital assets. With everything stored in one place, including images, graphics, and approved content, it’s easier for team members to find what they need and work together seamlessly. Approved content in WebCenter sets the stage for full automation because placeholders in Adobe templates are dynamically linked to approved content in the CMS.

Our Artwork Automation solution is like having a powerful assistant, ensuring every piece of artwork perfectly meets your brand standards. By utilizing approved Adobe templates, this solution ensures consistency across all artwork assets, regardless of their complexity. These templates serve as ready-made frameworks, guiding designers with predefined layouts, fonts, and placeholders, ensuring each design perfectly aligns with your brand identity and regulatory requirements.

In your opinion, how will these technologies evolve in the future – both Esko’s contributions and AI/automated solutions as a whole?

J.L.: Esko has been providing automation in our solutions for many years, but in recent years technologies have really advanced and there is no reason to think the pace will slow down.

There are many use cases for these technologies, most seem to emerge weekly, but we are spending significant time identifying those that we believe will truly save time or add value.

In terms of the evolution around artistic processes, expect technological assistance at virtually every step – starting with the complex process of determining how to manage different implementation dates for overlapping labeling changes and having further assistance with content creation and translations.

We’ll see more refined quality checks, whether content or brand-related, with notifications to approvers when artwork is created with something outside of expected parameters. Sustainability initiatives will focus on how to use these technologies to build works of art with the most sustainable packaging, from structure to design, inks and printing. And overall product portfolio reviews will become much more automated, to the extent that recommendations can be made about brand consistency and best practices for an organization.

More broadly, we expect the artistic process to become fully connected to other parts of a company’s ecosystem, far beyond how integrations are done today. Systems such as bill of materials management, pharmacovigilance and supply chain will be able to exchange data in a more integrated way and send alerts between systems when something that happens in one part of the business may impact another part.

Are there any obstacles for a company to take advantage of these technologies?

JL: The biggest obstacle is, and will continue to be, change management. Some companies today are not prepared to take on this type of transformation. It will change the way people work and, most importantly, it will mean that people will have to learn new skills to do their work differently.

People don’t leave. Humans still need to design art and build art models. Art business rules need to be defined and managed; reviewers will still need to review the art before it is released.

We recommend a phased approach to adopting these technologies: start with a manageable piece, prove it works, and then move on to the next opportunity. And create enough flexibility so that when technology changes in the future, and we know it will, you have the learning and foundation to adapt and take advantage of those changes.