TLDR: The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly deploying AI agents, moving beyond pilot programs to practical applications. However, this rapid adoption has highlighted governance as a critical factor for successful and responsible scaling. Trust in fully autonomous agents has declined, pushing companies to prioritize governance frameworks and focus on operational applications where ethical hurdles are lower. Experts emphasize a shift from ‘can we do it?’ to ‘how can we scale it responsibly?’
The pharmaceutical sector is witnessing a significant surge in the deployment of AI agents, transitioning from experimental pilot programs to widespread practical applications. According to Capgemini’s ‘Rise of agentic AI’ report, 14% of large enterprises now report partial or full deployments, with an additional 23% actively piloting these technologies. This marks a pivotal moment for the industry, as AI begins to fundamentally reshape processes from drug discovery to operational efficiencies.
However, this rapid proliferation has brought governance to the forefront as a paramount concern for scaling AI agents responsibly. A notable trend is the decline in trust for fully autonomous agents, which has slid from 43% to 27% over the past year. This erosion of trust underscores the urgent need for robust governance frameworks to manage the deployment of AI, particularly in a highly regulated industry like pharmaceuticals.
Sheetal Chawla, Head of Life Sciences for Capgemini Americas, highlights this shift in industry focus. “I think the conversation has shifted from ‘Can we do it?’ to ‘How can we do it? How can we scale it responsibly?'” she stated. This sentiment reflects a broader industry recognition that while the technical feasibility of AI agents is proven, the challenge now lies in their controlled and ethical integration across enterprises.
Many executives are now prioritizing governance to combat the ‘ungoverned proliferation’ of AI agents. Chawla noted the pervasive discussion around agentic AI at the World Economic Forum in January, where the theme ‘Collaboration in the Intelligent Age’ underscored the global obsession with this technology. Despite the enthusiasm, warnings from figures like Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind, who called the ‘agentic era’ a ‘threshold moment for AI becoming more dangerous,’ resonate with the industry’s cautious approach.
Consequently, AI agents are gaining traction more rapidly in operational applications, where the ethical stakes are perceived as lower. Areas such as supply chain management and demand forecasting are seeing a surge in AI adoption due to their minimal ethical hurdles. Chawla explained, “There are more operational applications that are surging, which are around demand forecasting: how do you increase the accuracy of forecasting?”
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Beyond operations, AI’s transformative power is also redefining drug discovery. Chawla emphasized, “AI isn’t just speeding up drug discovery; it’s fundamentally changing how pharma and biotech are imagining molecules.” The technology enables the screening of virtual libraries containing billions of compounds in hours, a process that previously took months or even years, leading to considerable efficiency gains. As 67% of companies now have AI governing bodies and approximately 60% are addressing privacy, bias in clinical trials, and compliance, the industry is actively working to establish the necessary guardrails for this powerful technology.
