AI expert warns pharma industry: artificial intelligence is a competitor, not just a tool
Speaking at CPHI Frankfurt, Bruno Fabre underlined the importance of companies viewing the technology as a fundamental business capability, rather than “an afterthought”.
Pharmaceutical companies must fundamentally rethink their approach to artificial intelligence (AI) or risk being overtaken by AI-native competitors, according to a presentation at CPHI Frankfurt 2025. AI expert Bruno Fabre told attendees that the technology is growing at a double exponential rate and represents a competitive threat rather than simply a business tool.
Fabre, who has worked in AI since 1991 including a stint at IBM, pointed to the financial services sector as a cautionary example. Fintech companies are challenging traditional institutions such as by building AI into their core business model rather than adding it as an afterthought.
Three strategic priorities
The presentation outlined three key areas where pharmaceutical companies should focus their AI efforts: data organisation, talent development, and digital health twins.
pharmaceutical companies should focus their AI efforts [on] data organisation, talent development, and digital health twins”
On data, Fabre emphasised the need to properly organise company information to make it machine-readable. He warned that data quality is essential to prevent biased or inaccurate AI models and noted that unique datasets can provide competitive advantages.
For talent development, he advocated against simply hiring external AI specialists. Instead, he recommended developing AI capabilities within existing employees who already understand the business, creating what he called “T-shaped” professionals who combine deep domain knowledge with AI competencies.
Shift from treatment to prevention
Fabre highlighted a significant market shift towards health maintenance rather than disease treatment. He cited compound annual growth rate projections showing AI and robotic process automation in healthcare growing at 18 to 44 percent, compared with six to 7.7 percent for traditional pharmaceutical activities.
He used Apple as an example of a company building “health twins” – digital copies of individuals’ health conditions based on data collected from devices. According to the presentation, Apple has accumulated approximately one gigabyte of health data per user over more than a decade.
Fabre said: “AI is not a tool. It’s your competitor. It’s building very quick, quicker than you can ever imagine.”
He warned that new AI-powered companies could outpace traditional organisations with innovative, competitive, scalable models based on recurring revenue.
Implementation requirements
The presentation stressed four key considerations for AI implementation: data quality, explainability, compliance, and ethics.
On ethics, Fabre urged companies to establish guidelines proactively rather than waiting for regulations. He posed three strategic questions for pharmaceutical executives: whether AI is a side project or the foundation of a new business model, how to capture valuable data, and whether the organisation will be a rule-maker or rule-taker in AI ethics.
Fabre concluded: “If you are thinking in an ethical way, if you are incorporating ethics and human values in the development you are doing for your organisation, then you are already preparing the new era centred to you, and not centred to technology or to rules.”
