We are in the midst of a technological explosion. Artificial intelligence is often described as a force capable of transforming everything, from how we work and make decisions to how we engage with customers. For pharmaceutical companies, the question is no longer if technology will create value, but how.
We are in the midst of a technological explosion. Artificial intelligence is often described as a force capable of transforming everything, from how we work and make decisions to how we engage with customers. For pharmaceutical companies, the question is no longer if technology will create value, but how.
The potential is enormous. A study from MIT, published in August 2025, reveals that the gap between vision and reality remains wide. Despite global investments of 30 to 40 billion dollars, 95 percent of companies report no measurable return. Only five percent of AI pilots generate real business impact.
MIT refers to this as “the GenAI Divide,” a clear line separating successful from failed implementations. Several patterns explain this gap. Large corporations lead in the number of pilot projects but often struggle to scale them. Investments tend to focus on visible features rather than high-value back-office solutions. And notably, external partnerships are almost twice as successful as internal initiatives.
The problem rarely lies in the technology itself. The real challenge is the willingness to change, to learn new ways of working, automate manual tasks, and take advantage of existing global processes and templates. It is about freeing up time for innovation while maintaining compliance. Above all, it is about measuring results where they truly matter: in business outcomes, not just technical progress.
Many leaders stop at introducing new digital tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot and call it innovation. But real transformation is not about adding new tools to old processes. It is about redesigning the way work is done. The biggest gains come when manual, complex tasks are replaced with automated workflows that both save time and ensure regulatory compliance.
The technological revolution reaches its full potential only when we dare to think differently. That does not mean tearing everything down and starting over. On the contrary, companies can build on existing processes and gradually replace manual steps with AI-driven automation. For pharmaceutical firms, this is a unique opportunity to break old patterns and achieve genuine breakthroughs, both scientifically and commercially.
Large corporations often run hundreds of pilot projects across the globe but few manage to anchor them in local operations. Real value emerges only when technology becomes part of everyday work. Successful companies build shared platforms and collaborate with external experts who understand not only the technology and regulations but also how to make an impact in local markets.
Progress happens step by step. Those who dare to rethink, ground change locally, and choose the right partners will capture the biggest rewards. Others risk getting stuck in an endless cycle of pilot projects.