AI, Clinical Trials & Companion Diagnostics: Eric Walk on the Future of Pathology

In this episode of the Pathology News podcast, Sidney Ocanagil-Tunstall speaks with Eric Walk about how AI-powered pathology tools are beginning to transform clinical diagnostics, pathology workflows, and precision medicine infrastructure.

Eric discusses where AI is already delivering value in clinical practice, including case triage, workload balancing, biomarker quantification, quality control, and pathology workflow optimisation through PathAI’s AI Site DX platform. The conversation also explores the growing importance of trust, validation, and human oversight in AI-assisted diagnostics, alongside the ethical questions surrounding patient confidence and clinical decision-making.

The episode further examines PathAI’s Precision Pathology Network (PPN), including how digitally mature pathology laboratories can collaborate with pharmaceutical companies through clinical trials, companion diagnostics, data licensing, and biomarker discovery programs. Rather than replacing pathologists, the discussion highlights how deep neural networks may elevate the profession, allowing pathologists to focus less on repetitive measurement tasks and more on precision medicine, therapy guidance, and integrated patient care.