A blue strand of DNA

Battling Bugs – AI in the Pharmaceuticals Industry

The pharmaceutical industry was worth $1.6 trillion in 2024, employing around 8 million people directly and up to 75 million people indirectly. Various flavours of artificial intelligence show considerable promise in these industries. AI can be utilised in various applications, including research and drug discovery, clinical trials, operations such as manufacturing, and for other purposes,…

A robotic AI doctor with a stethoscope in a hospital

The AI Doctor will see you now

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine and life sciences has a long history. In 1971, the University of Pittsburgh developed a tool called INTERNIST-1. This used a database of disease profiles and algorithms to help with clinical decision-making, including interrelated diagnosis. It did well, and was later commercialised as a product called QMR. Further AI…