Unleashing AI in Medical Affairs: Insights from the Fourth Annual AI in Medical Affairs Summit
作成者 Quentin O'Brien
Key Takeaways:
AI will never replace humans in medical affairs, but humans who effectively leverage AI co-intelligence will lead the way. Further, pharmaceutical companies that embrace AI in their workflows jump ahead of the competition that lags in AI adoption.
Medical affairs teams are uniquely positioned to lead the way with AI in the pharmaceutical industry because of their role in creating and disseminating scientific communications, deep understanding of the data, and leadership role in cross-functional collaboration across the organization and with external stakeholders.
While we have seen proven use cases of AI in medical affairs—from insights generation and analysis to developing and disseminating scientific communications materials—there is still a need to prepare companies and their leaders for AI adoption and implementation. Medical affairs leaders who see the value of AI will have to spearhead change management and advocate for AI upskilling across the organization.
Implementing AI into medical affairs workflows may seem daunting, but partnering with AI-enabled partners like Klick can set you up for success by proving AI’s value to your organization.
Everyone at the fourth annual AI in Medical Affairs Summit knew AI had arrived—no surprise there. The real question that I kept asking myself as I sat through presentations and walked the floor was: Why are medical affairs teams so hesitant to embrace something that’s so clearly here to stay? When I took the stage to talk about “The AI-Enabled Agency,” I wasn’t just sharing Klick’s latest innovations, I was trying to inspire my colleagues to move past the fear of change. While change is hard, it’s the blend of human and AI co-intelligence that’s going to create real acceptance leading to transformational change.
Co-intelligence, a term coined by University of Pennsylvania professor Ethan Mollick, combines human intelligence with AI to accelerate the generation of innovative ideas, insights, and products. With this concept planted squarely in my brain throughout the conference, key themes started to emerge:
Key Themes from the 2025 AI in Medical Affairs Summit
AI Has Moved from Theory to Practice: The excitement throughout the conference was palpable as attendees shared practical applications for AI and how to integrate them into our workflows. One MSL from a major pharma company detailed how she leverages AI insights to make field medical teams more effective and valuable to their organizations and external stakeholders. Another attendee showcased how co-intelligence uncovers insights and applies them to their medical affairs teams’ work. Along the way, other speakers and attendees shared ideas and optimistic predictions for how human and AI co-intelligence can optimize medical impact.
Affairs Can Lead the Way: What does this co-intelligence relationship mean for medical affairs? AI bridges clinical data, real-world evidence, and scientific communication to accelerate data dissemination and knowledge translation. With a deep understanding of clinical and access data, medical affairs teams are naturally suited to leverage human-AI co-intelligence for a more significant impact. Additionally, because medical affairs teams link commercial and R&D, they’re leaders in cross-functional collaboration—which can be further enhanced by human and AI co-intelligence. Finally, because medical affairs is grounded in improving patient outcomes, these teams are positioned to serve as ethical stewards of the AI transformation. I was struck by the number of attendees passionate about the responsible use of AI. Ensuring AI implementation benefits healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients will be key to success in this digital transformation era.
Change Management and AI Upskilling: Adjacent to embracing co-intelligence was acknowledging the continued skepticism about AI’s value. However, one participant representing a large pharmaceutical company highlighted the importance of change management and provided practical tips as an integration solution. He shared how pilot studies tied to tangible beneficial organizational outcomes can catalyze transformation with companies hesitant to implement AI on a wide scale. In addition to preparing leadership for top-down AI implementation, educating workforces on AI to improve efficiency, foster creativity, and embrace evolution is essential. Medical affairs professionals can become change agents who advocate for AI upskilling across the organization. As AI continues to transform not just healthcare but all aspects of our lives, we must embrace AI to prepare for the future and adapt.
The Value of AI-Enabled Partners: Medical affairs leaders who identify their AI limitations will be best equipped for this transformation. With AI evolving rapidly, staying ahead doesn’t require expertise. Strategic leaders will recognize that through collaboration with AI-enabled partners, they can drive value for their teams, companies, HCPs, and patients. As an AI-enabled agency, Klick is a partner in this transformation. In my presentation, I highlighted our AI capabilities in medical affairs and our commitment to improving patient outcomes through innovation. By leveraging AI, we can enhance our impact—helping HCPs and advancing patient care more effectively than ever before.
I left the AI in Medical Affairs Summit optimistic and excited about transforming how we deliver medical impact for our partners. If you’re interested in learning more about why Klick is an “AI-enabled agency,” check out my presentation and follow Klick for more insights into the ongoing relationship between medical affairs and AI.
作成者
Quentin O'Brien
VP, Scientific Strategy
A 2024 MM+M 40 Under 40 honoree, Quentin joined Klick with nearly a decade of experience in medical communications. Building on her foundational experience in both medical affairs and agency settings, she’s leveraging Klick’s digital expertise, AI capabilities, and creative resources to innovate in medical communications, stakeholder engagement, and scientific exchange. And as a rare disease patient and advocate, she infuses her unique perspective and passion across all her work, positioning Klick as a leader in the medical communications world and, ultimately, driving better outcomes for patients.
Ready to Drive Life Sciences Forward?
Experience the transformative power of Klick Health, where deep industry expertise meets cutting-edge AI-driven wisdom.
As your trusted partners in life sciences commercialization, we combine a storied history in healthcare with the latest technologies to elevate every facet of your omnichannel strategy. From crafting engaging narratives to enabling data-driven decision-making, our integrated capabilities ensure you lead the way in transforming patient outcomes through digital health innovation.
Let’s create something transformative together.
