Abstract Study question What is the impact of AI-based embryo triage on the number of IVF cycles needed to reach fetal heartbeat (FH)? Summary answer Simulated cohort ranking via the AIVF Day-5 AI model demonstrates a 27.5% reduction in the number of IVF cycles needed to achieve FH. What is known already Published reports show FH rates per first-time IVF/single euploid embryo transfer ranging from 26-43% (age <38 yrs). Likewise, the average number of autologous retrieval cycles required for FH is 2.25±0.8, depending on oocyte age and demographic. While conventional embryo morphology ranking is used as a proxy indicator for IVF success, its use is associated with observer variability and manual workflow. This leads to a non-efficient cycle number-per-FH ratio, preventing the clinic’s ability to service more patients. Study design, size, duration A single center database (N = 10,000 embryos) was used to generate 1,288 simulated cohorts reflecting known maternal age/cohort size distributions. Only cohorts containing ≥1 FH+ embryo(s) were included. The model ranked embryos within each cohort by scalar output (1-9.9). The position of the first FH+ embryo within each AI-ranked cohort was calculated and averaged across cohorts to compute number of cycles required to reach FH. Participants/materials, setting, methods Data was stratified into 5 age categories; the prevalence of top/good/fair graded embryos per cohort were included according to their known (%) prevalences per stratified age group. Data was randomized into 1,288 cohorts; positions of the first FH+ embryo in each cohort was calculated (for example, if the 2nd AI-ranked embryo was FH+, a value of 2 was assigned, respectively). Values were averaged and compared to conventional IVF. Main results and the role of chance A mean ± SD of 1.63 ±1.06 cycles was needed to reach the first FH+ embryo with AI cohort ranking (pooled mean across all age groups <38 years) with a mean cohort size N = 7.8 embryos. The relative percent reduction in cycles needed to reach FH when compared to conventional IVF without AI ranking (2.25±0.8; age <38 yrs) was 27.5%. Ranking and electronic recording time for ranking per embryo with/without AI implementation was 186.0 versus 30.9 seconds per embryo, respectively. Relative ranking time reduction was 83%. Limitations, reasons for caution Results were pooled across age groups and not stratified per age. Prospective validation is ongoing to show the influence of demographics/clinical characteristics on AI utility. Wider implications of the findings This study demonstrates the potential of shortening the time to pregnancy by using AI-based quantitative embryo assessment for cohort ranking. Trial registration number Not applicable