Managing Diabetes
Choosing the Right Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) System
Published: May 27, 2026
Updated: Jul. 21, 2026
5 min read
When diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you’ll need to address the condition with lifestyle changes (diet and exercise) and/or medications. And depending upon your type, you might also have to inject insulin.
If you have type 1 diabetes, insulin dosing is mandatory. If you have type 2 diabetes, insulin injections are sometimes necessary. Thankfully, insulin dosing options have come a long way since syringe injections began in the 1920s, with the first insulin pump hitting the market in the 1970s and the first insulin pen in the 1980s.
And there is another modern diabetes management marvel – the Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) system, also called an “artificial pancreas,” or “closed-loop system”.
What is an Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) system?
AID systems, or “artificial pancreas”, include a pump that delivers insulin subcutaneously, an algorithm that calculates the appropriate insulin dosage, and a compatible continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system that wirelessly communicates with the pump and its algorithm to direct them how to automatically adjust insulin levels and keep your glucose in range.
Using AID systems can help you avoid hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)1, increase your time in range2-4, and reduce the mental load of diabetes management. If your glucose is high, the insulin pump’s algorithm will know to deliver insulin to help bring your glucose back in range. If your glucose is low, the insulin pump’s algorithm will know to reduce your insulin delivery. The CGM’s glucose-level data can also trigger alerts and alarms on the pump as a safety feature to indicate hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
Who is an automated insulin delivery system for?
While AID systems are often used by people with type 1 diabetes, they can also be a valuable option for some people with type 2 diabetes who use insulin, especially those on intensive insulin therapy. If you’re using multiple daily injections, ask your healthcare provider whether an AID system could be an effective way to help you manage your diabetes.
How to choose the right AID system?
Without the CGM and its constant, real-time glucose data, the insulin pump would not know how to adjust your insulin levels. But not all CGMs are compatible with all AID systems, and some offer more compatibility than others.
When choosing an AID system, you’ll want to discuss the options with your healthcare provider. Consider your medical history, diabetes management journey, lifestyle, budget and insurance, and comfort level with the different technologies available.
Importantly, you’ll also want to ensure you have a CGM that’s both right for your lifestyle and diabetes management needs while giving you the most compatibility options among the different AID systems currently available.
For over a decade, Dexcom has been at the forefront of AID innovation, building long‑standing partnerships with insulin pump companies that give people the freedom to choose how they manage diabetes.
Dexcom G7 and Dexcom G7 15 Day deliver best-in-class accuracy5 you can count on. Dexcom G7, indicated for patients 2 years and older, is the most accurate CGM for children5. For adults 18 years and older, Dexcom G7 15 Day offers the same trusted accuracy5 with a longer wear time.
Both Dexcom G7 CGM Systems offers compatibility with:
- iLet® Bionic Pancreas
- Omnipod® 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System
- Tandem Mobi system
- Tandem t:slim X2 insulin pump
Giving you the freedom to choose the AID system that works best for you and your lifestyle, without having to change your sensor.
Notably, Dexcom’s Share feature and other digital integrations can run simultaneously with an AID system. This gives Dexcom users some significant advantages in an AID system.
Dexcom’s Share feature allows you to share your glucose data with up to 10 friends and family members to see your CGM data on the separate Follow app* and get notified of high or low glucose events on their phone. Because Dexcom G7 is the most accurate CGM for kids5, this can be valuable for parents or caretakers of children/young adults with diabetes, as they can view their child’s CGM data during the night, at school, away at college, during sports, or when out and about on field trips. This feature helps provide peace of mind to younger patients and their caretakers. It can also be valuable for adults to share their data with their partner or friends, so they always have someone to help keep tabs on their glucose levels.
Dexcom’s smart watch† integrations can also run simultaneously with an AID system. For example, your CGM data can appear on your Garmin watch†, which offers easy access to CGM data during runs or allows for a quick glance during the day without having to look at an app or a pump. It gives you more flexibility in how you view and use your data.
Dexcom’s Direct-To-Watch feature also allows Dexcom G7 sensors to pair directly to an Apple Watch†, so you can leave your phone behind and still have access to your Dexcom data on your wrist and at a glance.
When it comes to AID systems, flexibility matters. Dexcom G7 and Dexcom G7 15 Day are designed to work with multiple AID systems, giving you the freedom to choose the option that best supports your diabetes management goals. Backed by long‑standing partnerships and trusted accuracy5, Dexcom helps make connected diabetes management simpler, so you can focus less on technology and more on living your life.
* Separate Follow app and internet connection required, † Smart devices sold separately. To view a list of compatible devices, visit dexcom.com/compatibility
1 Graham R, et al. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2024;26(1):24-3
2 Brown SA, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(18):1707-1717.
3 Brown SA, et al. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(7):1630-1640.
4 Russell SJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(13):1161-1172.
5 Dexcom, Data on File, 2025
2 Brown SA, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(18):1707-1717.
3 Brown SA, et al. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(7):1630-1640.
4 Russell SJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(13):1161-1172.
5 Dexcom, Data on File, 2025