A recent survey conducted by Citi indicates a disconnect between the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry and the actual expectations of its leadership. Although AI is being integrated into research workflows at a high rate, only about one-quarter of US pharmaceutical executives believe that these tools will increase the probability of a drug successfully reaching the market.

John Yung, head of Asia healthcare research at Citi, highlighted that the industry's primary concern is not the technical ability of AI to speed up the discovery process. Instead, the core issue is whether this increased speed will result in higher-quality drugs or better clinical outcomes. The survey suggests that while AI can accelerate the early stages of research, it does not inherently solve the complex biological challenges that lead to drug failure during clinical trials. This skepticism persists even as global interest in AI-driven healthcare continues to grow, particularly in markets like China, which are aggressively investing in the sector.