Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceuticals: Transforming Drug Discovery, Development, and Healthcare Delivery

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in the pharmaceutical industry, fundamentally altering how drugs are discovered, developed, tested, and delivered. By leveraging machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and data-driven analytics, AI enables faster identification of drug candidates, optimization of clinical trials, precision medicine, and enhanced pharmacovigilance. This paper presents a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of AI applications across the pharmaceutical value chain, examining technological foundations, real-world case studies, regulatory challenges, ethical considerations, and future trajectories. The study highlights AI’s potential to reduce drug development timelines, lower costs, and improve therapeutic outcomes while emphasizing the need for robust governance, explainability, and interdisciplinary collaboration