AI's Current Impact on Medical Affairs
Peer insights on the current state of AI in Medical Affairs from the October 2024 Medical Affairs Xcellence Summit
Artificial intelligence (AI) has begun to transform the life sciences industry. In medical affairs, machine learning and generative AI are enabling teams to process complex data faster, generate content more efficiently, and improve engagement with healthcare professionals (HCPs).
At the 3rd Medical Affairs Xcellence Summit (MAX), medical affairs professionals from diverse biopharma organizations came together to share their stories, curiosity, challenges, and triumphs in adopting AI.
From collaboration tools and analytics to HCP engagement and regulatory tasks, the session sought to identify where AI is in use today and discuss ideas for tomorrow. While it's clear that adoption of AI-enabled practices vary across different organizations, a few common themes are pervasive. Notably, AI tools must be effective, accurate, compliant, and offer speed of delivery to provide value in medical affairs.
PEER INSIGHTS FROM THE ROUNDTABLE
Much of the industry thought leadership surrounding AI often overlooks the very real human aspect of implementing new technologies. These vignettes from MAX roundtable [1] participants focus less on the tech itself, but on the emotions, hurdles, and inspirations that can influence your AI journey.
Dance Dad Turned Efficiency Advocate
One participant described himself as a “dance dad,” juggling a flurry of text messages to coordinate his child’s dance schedule. When he discovered how ChatGPT could transform this chaos into an organized table, a light bulb went off. “I realized, if AI could simplify my life at home, why not use it at work?” Today, he uses similar techniques to streamline meeting summaries and consolidate team tasks, inspiring his colleagues to embrace AI with curiosity rather than apprehension. These small, personal wins are the seeds of greater transformation. AI doesn’t have to start with sweeping changes. It can begin with moments of practicality and clarity.
Content Creator Who Beat the Odds
“Seeing how fast this technology evolves gives us hope. It’s not about replacing creativity, but amplifying it.”
A content manager recounted how, just 18 months ago, her team was presented with an exorbitant price for producing AI–avatar-based training videos. “It was seven figures, completely out of reach.” Fast forward to today, and the same task is achievable for pennies on the dollar. “Seeing how fast this technology evolves gives us hope. It’s not about replacing creativity but amplifying it.” Stories like this remind us that patience with innovation pays off. Our most creative ideas may not need to sit on the shelf for long, when technology is evolving at the current pace.
The Insight Hunter
A field-based medical team leader shared their excitement about an AI-powered insights platform. “Collecting HCP feedback used to feel like shouting into the void—so much data and no way to see the big picture. Now, AI does the heavy lifting, identifying patterns and trends that guide our strategy.” AI is turning the overwhelming into the actionable, giving professionals the clarity they need to focus on meaningful impact.
A Reluctant Adopter
One participant shared the initial resistance at his mid-sized company to using Microsoft® Copilot. “People were uneasy about having their meetings recorded. It felt invasive.” Yet, over time, curiosity outweighed fear. “Once folks saw how it could help, not just record but summarize and highlight key points, the mood shifted. Now, it’s almost indispensable.” Change is rarely comfortable at first, but with open dialogue and clear demonstrations of value, trust in new tools can grow.
The Compliance Puzzle Solver
A regulatory affairs professional described the uphill battle of balancing AI innovation with compliance mandates. “We had to thread the needle between creativity and control. It’s frustrating but necessary.” Their persistence paid off when they implemented an internal AI tool tailored to their company’s strict data privacy standards. “It wasn’t easy, but it’s ours, and it works.” Striking a balance between innovation and regulation is challenging, but when done thoughtfully, it leads to tools that are both powerful and secure.
The Visionary
“I dream of a day when AI gives us insights in real time,” shared a medical director. She painted a vivid picture: an AI system that listens, learns, and suggests actionable steps during live advisory board meetings. “It’s not about replacing us, it’s about empowering us to make decisions faster and smarter.” The future of AI isn’t about automation for its own sake. It’s about creating systems that work alongside us, making our jobs more insightful and rewarding.
The Partnership Builder
Another participant shared how their team envisions AI as a creative partner. “Imagine AI helping us build not just slide decks, but entire narratives, stories that engage, educate, and inspire. That’s where we want to go.” AI as a collaborator is an exciting possibility. With creativity at the helm, technology becomes a tool for storytelling, not just efficiency.
DISCUSSION AND COMMON THEMES
The biopharma industry has been adopting AI, but room for growth remains. Boosted productivity, accelerated discovery, faster approvals, and shorter time to market could create $60 billion to $100 billion in annual economic benefit for pharmaceutical and medical products companies. [2]
The future of AI in medical affairs likely includes deeper integration into predictive insights, real-time analysis, and more personalized HCP and patient interactions . But, risks like compliance, privacy, and AI bias must be carefully managed.
The presence or absence of a mandate to use AI in medical affairs at life science companies varies today, perhaps related to company size. Employees of bigger companies described broader use of AI tools, application in various business processes, and dedicated staffing.
There is opportunity for AI to facilitate repetitive and labor-intensive information management tasks, such as data entry and analysis. This may be specifically useful in relation to event reporting and response generation.
AI-driven initiatives need to be measured with objectives-based metrics on a regular basis to guide ongoing project and design future ones.
CONCLUSION
The stories from the roundtable reflect a common truth: adopting AI is as much about people as it is about technology. It’s about dance dads adopting tools that also benefit their professional schedules, cautious colleagues learning to trust, and visionary leaders dreaming big. AI's future in medical affairs is not one destination, but a shared adventure, improved by the ongoing exchange of experiences. Wherever you are on your AI journey:
Start small and celebrate wins.
Embrace the messy middle where challenges and learning collide.
Let curiosity guide you toward possibilities not yet imagined.
Download this Roundtable Report
REFERENCES
1. King C, Zoni B. Interactive Session: AI Collaborative Exploration. Presented at: Medical Affairs Excellence 2024; October 22, 2024; Atlantic City, NJ.
2. Bhavik S, Adabala Viswa C, Zurkiya D, et al. Generative AI in the pharmaceutical industry: Moving from hype to reality. McKinsey, January 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/generative-ai-in-thepharmaceutical-industry-moving-from-hype-to-reality.