Researchers at the University of Warwick, with clinicians from University Hospital North Midlands NHS Trust and Imperial College London, used digital twin technology to evaluate a proposed airway pressure release ventilation transition protocol for acute respiratory distress syndrome. The study models how patients might respond during ventilator setting changes, aiming to improve protocol safety and decision-making. Digital twins are virtual patient models that incorporate physiological data to simulate responses to interventions. In this context, the approach tests ventilation changes without exposing patients to trial-and-error. The development matters for AI-enabled critical care deployment because it demonstrates a pathway from protocol design to simulation-backed evaluation in a high-stakes setting.