Giving Compass' Take:

• The role of AI in pharma is still being defined, and while some see great potential for the emerging technology, there are also concerns.

• How can philanthropy help to develop beneficial technologies for public health? 

• Learn more about AI in healthcare. 

Like smartphones upended everyday tasks from communication to shopping, artificial intelligence promises to change how the pharmaceutical industry discovers drugs, carries out R&D and even commercializes products.

Before that happens, though, the industry needs to figure out precisely what AI means and how much investment will be required.

Further challenges include trepidation about how best to prove it works and confusion over its power. According to a survey of over 12,000 participants conducted by consultancy PwC in 2016, lack of trust and a need for the human element were the biggest hurdles to using AI in healthcare.

The distinction between pure AI, where computers work without human input, and augmented intelligence, where algorithms, data processing and machine learning help humans make decisions is a key one, according to Pamela Spence, EY's global sector leader for life sciences.

"There is going to have to be a balance," argued Sean Rooney, a partner in PWC's advisory services, in an interview. "AI is not just going to be accepted and adopted by the industry, by the scientists, by branded commercial managers, if it is a black box. So [pharma is] going to need to have enough onboard capability, and substantiated knowledge and experience within the organization to explain and understand what might be happening within 'the machine' to explain the output."

Read the full article about AI in pharma by Lisa LaMotta at Healthcare Dive.