(114) Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the biopharmaceutical sector: a survey on perceptions, use cases, and barriers to implementation

Background: : Biopharmaceutical organizations are beginning to adopt GenAI with the goal of transforming productivity and operational efficiency in areas such as early-stage drug discovery, data analysis, and medical affairs.

Objective: : We conducted a survey to evaluate the current landscape of GenAI adoption within the biopharmaceutical sector, focusing on prevalent use cases, stakeholder perceptions of value, and key barriers to implementation.

Methods: : The online survey, conducted in May and June 2025, targeted professionals across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors using convenience sampling. It collected quantitative data through structured items and qualitative insights via open-ended responses. Descriptive statistics were used to assess a variety of themes such as GenAI adoption patterns, perceived benefits, and implementation challenges.

Results: : A total of 104 industry professionals completed the survey. Respondents represented diverse functions, primarily Medical Affairs (35.6%), Field Operations (16.4%), and R&D (14.4%). GenAI use was widespread with 56.7% of respondents utilizing the tool once a week at a minimum and 38.5% multiple times daily.
Across 104 responses, GenAI applications were most frequently cited for summarization and synthesis of literature, meetings, and documents (43.3%), drafting and editing communications (35.6%), and conducting research across literature, competitive intelligence, and regulatory guidance (32.7%). Additional uses included slide creation, insight generation, Key Opinion Leader (KOL) identification, coding/data handling, analytics, planning, and internal research.
The majority (66.4%) trusted GenAI outputs with human oversight. GenAI was believed to confer a competitive advantage by 82.7% of respondents, and 44.2% reported active integration in some departments. Notably, 80.8% anticipated increased investment in GenAI over the next 2-3 years.

Conclusions: : GenAI is increasingly being embedded across the biopharmaceutical sector, and the majority of biopharmaceutical professionals believe in its impact on delivering tangible benefits in productivity and decision-making. Ongoing training and validation remain critical, and as investment and integration grow, thoughtful planning will be vital to ensure responsible and scalable implementation.

Sponsorship:: Beam Therapeutics