In a recent industry survey, ArisGlobal has revealed a significant push among pharmaceutical organizations toward adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their safety and regulatory process automation. This trend underscores a broader movement within the pharmaceutical industry towards integrating more sophisticated technologies to streamline operations and facilitate faster, more cost-effective drug development.

The findings from ArisGlobal’s 2024 Industry Survey Report indicate that 60% of these companies are looking to either begin or increase their use of advanced technologies over the next 18 months. These technologies, which include AI and machine learning, are now considered crucial tools in the evolution of pharmaceutical research and development.

Despite the enthusiasm, the survey also highlighted some challenges. While more than three-quarters of the organizations surveyed are already using some form of advanced automation, only 8% have been able to implement these technologies across most or all of their processes. This discrepancy points to significant integration challenges, with many companies struggling to meld new technologies with their existing systems.

Budget constraints are cited as the top obstacle to AI adoption, noted by 54% of respondents. Moreover, poor integration with existing technologies was highlighted by 36% of participants, and about 68% described the integration of automation technologies with other systems or data as difficult.

Real-world data (RWD) is a focal point for many of these companies, particularly in its application to enhance safety signal detection and validation processes. The survey shows that 51% of organizations currently utilize RWD, with 54% planning to expand its usage. The integration of RWD represents a critical area where AI can play a transformative role, potentially revolutionizing how companies use data to accelerate drug development and improve patient outcomes.

ArisGlobal’s report showcases an industry prepared to significantly increase its investment in AI, driven by the promise of enhanced efficiency and the potential for groundbreaking advancements in treatment discovery. Emmanuel Belabe, SVP of Customer Success at ArisGlobal, emphasized the ongoing shift towards intelligent automation, fueled by both operational necessities and the enhanced accessibility of AI-enabled platforms like LifeSphere®.

With AI and machine learning gradually becoming integral to pharmaceutical R&D, organizations are looking towards solutions like ArisGlobal’s LifeSphere®, powered by the NavaX automation engine, to stay ahead in a competitive and rapidly evolving landscape. As cloud platforms and strategic alliances with real-world data providers become more prevalent, these technologies are setting the stage for a new era in pharmaceutical development, one that prioritizes speed, cost-efficiency, and most importantly, enhanced patient outcomes.