Lead With AI – Episode Summary

Podcast: Lead With AI
Host: Dr. Tamara Nall
Guest: Daniella Gilboa, Co-founder & CEO of AIVF
Episode: AIVF: Boosting IVF Success With AI-Powered Embryo Ranking
Date: March 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the fusion of artificial intelligence and fertility, focusing on AIVF's groundbreaking platform that leverages AI for embryo selection in IVF (in vitro fertilization). Host Dr. Tamara Nall, who draws from her own emotional fertility journey, speaks with AIVF co-founder and CEO Daniella Gilboa. They discuss how AI can bring clarity, transparency, and empowerment to one of the most emotional and complicated experiences—IVF—without losing sight of its human core.

Together, they explore the practical realities, ethical considerations, and bold future possibilities in using AI to help more people become parents.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Daniella's Journey and Founding Vision for AIVF

[02:39]

• Daniella describes her clinical embryology background and "living and breathing embryos" for 15 years.
• The motivation: "The thought of people giving up the dream of being a parent because it’s not accessible... This is something I just could not swallow."
• AIVF was founded to make IVF care better and truly accessible for anyone seeking to become a parent.

2. What is AIVF & How Does It Work?

[04:33], [04:42], [14:26]

• In a typical IVF lab, clinicians must select the most viable embryo from multiple options—a process currently based on subjective human judgment or invasive genetic biopsies.
• AIVF’s AI platform analyzes videos and data on millions of embryos, providing a probability score for each embryo’s chance of becoming a healthy baby.
• This provides objective, data-driven support to both clinicians and patients, reducing uncertainty and empowering better decisions.

"As a patient, you're empowered, you're informed, you can make decisions. It reduces uncertainties, and suddenly the entire journey looks different."
— Daniella Gilboa [06:43]

3. Tamara’s Personal Fertility Story

[07:52–09:07]

• Dr. Nall shares her own challenging IVF experience, dealing with initial optimism followed by finding that none of her embryos were viable, accentuating the emotional rollercoaster many face.
• She discusses how insensitive remarks and lack of clarity added to the trauma.

4. Avoiding Invasive Biopsies: AI as an Alternative

[09:07–11:29]

• AI can reduce reliance on invasive biopsies. It functions similarly to non-invasive prenatal testing, offering another layer of information.
• Some patients may still choose biopsies, but AI provides additional or alternative insight, making it more possible to tailor the process to each patient's needs and preferences.

"If you do AIVF on the spot, you could just say, okay, you have a very good layer of indication. I know what to expect. I'm in control." — Daniella Gilboa [10:32]

5. Success Stories: Concrete Impact

[11:29–13:32], [18:55–20:45]

• Daniella recounts a case from Ireland where, after repeated failed cycles, AIVF identified the single viable embryo resulting in a successful pregnancy.
• Another story details a patient on the verge of giving up who had twins, thanks to AIVF’s selection.

"They all looked okay, but then our system really managed to pinpoint... the single embryo that is healthy or normal. She now has twins."
— Daniella Gilboa [20:40]

6. Under the Hood: AI, Data, and Patient Access

[14:26–18:12]

• The platform is integrated directly into IVF labs, not as an external add-on.
• Patients can access a dashboard to see their embryos’ development and scores, increasing transparency and engagement.
• Clinics use the data to make evidence-based decisions, with the support of patient-facing insights.

"We wanted to open up the black box of IVF labs... the patient can log in, see the embryos, understand the score. It's amazing."
— Daniella Gilboa [17:08]

7. Biological Limits and the Need for Early Planning

[21:06–24:01]

• AIVF can’t change nature—egg quality does diminish with age.
• However, the platform can help people plan earlier and smarter by bringing data and clarity to their options.

"We're not changing biology... what we do is making you understand how to navigate your fertility journey and what are the probabilities in each age group."
— Daniella Gilboa [22:57]

8. Ethical Considerations & Data Privacy

[24:09–27:20]

• AIVF is a decision-support tool: clinicians always make the final judgment.
• Data is always de-identified and tested rigorously for reliability and fairness before clinical use.
• The aim is to empower, not replace, practitioners, supported by robust regulation.

9. Bold Visions for the Future

[27:41–28:23], [40:01–41:30]

• Daniella envisions AIVF’s approach as the standard of care and predicts accessible "AIVF clinics" democratizing fertility worldwide.
• She predicts that eventually, AI and robotics will be the norm in reproductive medicine, with IVF becoming the primary means for conception ("the end of sex for reproduction").

"People are going to be very much in control of their reproductive and fertility journey and do babies through IVF, and sex would be fun, not for reproduction."
— Daniella Gilboa [40:33]

10. Call to Action: Empowerment and Early Action

[28:23–33:04]

• Patients should ask their clinics critical, specific questions about embryo selection and procedures, including alternatives to biopsies.
• Tamara advocates for egg freezing as an "insurance policy" for younger women focused on their careers.

"Start asking the right questions... The patient needs to be empowered, needs to be in control and really understand the process."
— Daniella Gilboa [30:01]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On democratizing IVF:

  "We wanted everyone, globally, to have the opportunity to become a parent."
  — Daniella Gilboa [03:16]

• On patient empowerment:

  "I as a patient, want to understand... are you going to biopsy my embryos? Why do you biopsy my embryos? Is there an alternative?"
  — Daniella Gilboa [30:01]

• On changing perceptions:

  "If I had to get to a point where I'm like, this all of a sudden is easy. Wow. That changes everything."
  — Dr. Tamara Nall [14:03]

• On radical transparency in AI:

  "We build AI that augments humans but not replacing them... We have to be radically transparent."
  — Daniella Gilboa [34:48]

• On AI's possible future dominance in IVF:

  "By the end of the century, about 5% of the global population would be IVF...I think we’re going to have amazing, huge, great IVF clinics that would be dominated by robotics and AI."
  — Daniella Gilboa [41:03]

Important Timestamps

• 02:39 — Daniella’s personal journey, vision, and the “why” behind AIVF.
• 04:42 — Overview of how AIVF operates in the lab environment.
• 09:07 — How AI offers a less invasive alternative to biopsies.
• 11:29, 18:55 — Real-life success stories from patients.
• 14:26 — The technical breakdown of AIVF’s AI and data integration.
• 17:08 — Patient dashboard and transparency features.
• 22:02 — The impact of age and the limits of technology versus biology.
• 24:41 — Ethics, clinician oversight, and data privacy in AIVF’s operations.
• 27:41, 40:01 — Daniella’s predictions for the future of fertility and AI.
• 30:01 — Patient empowerment: critical questions to ask IVF clinics.
• 34:48 — On radical transparency and keeping humans in the loop.

Rapid-Fire Round (Bonus Segment)

• Most overrated AI/tech trend: "AI agents."
  — Daniella Gilboa [38:24]
• Most under-hyped trend: "Decision support tools inside industries or clinics."
  — [38:36]
• Recommended book: “How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking” by Jordan Ellenberg.
  — [38:45]
• Boldest AI prediction: IVF will be dominated by robotics and AI, with human sex no longer the primary means of reproduction.
  — [40:01–41:30]

How to Connect or Take Action

• Find AIVF-Enabled Clinics: Visit the AIVF website or contact Daniella via LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, or email for clinic info.
  — [33:31, 42:59]
• Connect with Daniella Gilboa: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook—search "Daniella Gilboa."
• Empowerment Tip: Start asking your clinician specific, informed questions about your fertility care today.

Final Thoughts

This episode highlights AI’s real-world impact in one of the most intimate fields: fertility. Through authentic stories and practical explanations, listeners discover how AIVF is giving patients control and clarity, balancing technology with compassion—ultimately redefining what’s possible in reproductive medicine.