5 Key Sample Management Automation Trends for 2025- 2026: An Interview with SPT Labtech’s Cory Tiller

As we move into 2025 and look ahead to 2026, the field of sample management automation is evolving rapidly. Sample management professionals are navigating complex budget decisions, shifting technology landscapes, and a perpetual need for reliability. We sat down with Cory Tiller, our Product Manager for Sample Management, to discuss the top five trends shaping how laboratories manage their most precious assets - their samples - and how these changes are driving the next generation of lab automation trends.

1. The Appetite for Automation is at an All-Time High

Every customer I've talked to wants to take the leap to a fully automated sample management workflow. Some dream big, while others are content to alleviate that one critical process bottleneck. Maybe manual labeling or cherry-picking is the "pebble in the shoe" for many, but every customer has something that they would love to automate in their sample management process. The balance of the big and the small wins is the reason I love this industry. The growth is energizing, and it will continue due to the passionate individuals driving progress within sample management automation.

2. Spending Smarter: The New Reality of Lab Automation ROI

While budgets always fluctuate based on global markets, current needs, grant opportunities, etc., one thing is clear for 2025: justification requirements are getting tighter. This is not unique to sample management, but the challenge can often be the comparison. When miniaturizing liquid handling to nanoliter scale to save on cost, automation is a must. But moving from manual storage to automated, the question of need is stressed. Could we continue without it?

The answer is never simple, but this shift in mindset has led to an increase in smaller, more strategic purchases. Customers have opted for smaller, focused automation systems to reduce a pain point with a lower upfront investment. Maybe a dedicated tube handler is enough for today while they set their sights on a full solution down the road? Laboratory leaders are increasingly focused on a quantifiable return on investment (ROI) for every automation purchase.

3. Trust and Reliability Remain the Largest Obstacle to Automated Sample Integrity

Reliability is always going to be high on the list for sample management automation users. Samples can be precious, and trusting instruments that keep processes moving with high uptime and low risk of sample loss is paramount for the lab. Particularly when moving away from highly manual workflows, it can be difficult to trust a new instrument.

Implementations always come with glitches, and almost every new process comes with that period of "I could have done this faster by hand." Still, once implementation gets over any initial setbacks, reliable lab automation unlocks opportunity. Almost every champion of automation I've talked to started as a skeptic. Like any relationship, trust takes time to build. Increased data collection tools, fast customer support, and instruments designed for inherent reliability, such as those utilizing pneumatic technology to keep mechanical elements out of the cold zone are crucial to finding a partner in automation that ensures maximum sample integrity.

4. AI Isn't Here Yet

While AI is the hot topic on almost every platform, its development has been slower to materialize directly in the Life Sciences market. This has a whole host of reasons, from sensitive data handling to implementation. Most current momentum I hear is on experimental modeling and faster in silico modeling. Shortening the time from target molecule to lead using AI has clear value add.

It's exciting in concept for all laboratories, but currently available to only a small portion. For most sample management labs, true direct utilization of AI is the mirage far in the distance. It may impact sample management groups tangentially in the nearer term, for instance, through improved data governance tools or predictive maintenance on instruments but I suspect it will be a slower uptake within the core sample handling workflow.

5. The Lab of the Future is Modular, Not Monolithic

Maybe this is controversial, but not every lab needs a complete workcell or autonomous robots integrating every gap. The vision for what the lab could be is still top of mind for many sample managers. Relating to the points above, laboratory leaders are asked to plan for years of high-level company growth but are given smaller budgets upfront. It's difficult to chart a path to a lavish end-to-end fully automated workflow if you aren't able to take comfortable intermediate steps.

Insert modular lab automation options. Modularity comes in various forms, but the main two are modular integrations and modular products. While the former seeks to build a framework for adding new bits of kit to an existing custom platform, the latter typically scales more naturally. We've seen a clear shift toward truly scalable modular options this year that has a clear scaling strategy for future growth. If you can make medium steps toward the future with one eye on the present, you should.