AI and Pharma Marketing
AI is not the future, it is the past. It has entered into people’s lives without them realising it. What makes the future fascinating is not AI, but how pharma marketing will change because of it.
In the last few weeks, I have had the privilege of being on industry panels discussing the “future of technology”. Topics like these fascinate me, because we don’t speak about the future. We actually speak about the past. Take AI for instance. It isn’t a new technology and neither are its applications new. It has entered into several aspects of people’s lives without them realising it. So what makes the future fascinating is not the tech or its applications, but how lives and choices will change because of AI.
Without doubt, pharma marketing will should change. In 2025, pharma marketing will should evolve to enhance customer engagement, personalization, and efficiency. How?
Hyper-personalised content and customer engagement as commoditization of portfolios increase and competition intensifies from hyper-local players
AI powered content creation - Given India’s linguistic diversity, AI-powered localization tools (like multilingual NLP models) are crucial for creating effective marketing materials in regional languages. We will see an increasing use of conversational AI and ChatGPT-like tools. Large firms like Pfizer India and Sun Pharma are testing conversational AI for multilingual capabilities, especially in Hindi and regional languages.
Predictive analytics in strengthening sales force effectiveness. The most competitive companies understand that the utility of a one-size-fits-all mentality is diminishing rapidly. Regional customization of insights is critical in India, given its fragmented market.
Increasing use of RWE in marketing - India is catching up, with firms like THB and Apollo Hospitals leveraging health data to provide RWE insights for pharma collaborations. However, data fragmentation and privacy regulations remain challenges.
Mixed Reality and AI for more effective in-clinic presence - Indian pharma companies are experimenting with VR in metro cities for detailing complex products, although penetration in rural areas remains limited due to infrastructure constraints.
In reality, all these options have been available for several years. The degree of utility varies vastly. Hopefully 2025 will should be a different year.
Specific to marketing, I am excited to see how extensively and effectively will pharma use AI agents in sales (eg as virtual sales assistants for field colleagues), or to support omnichannel marketing ensuring co-ordinated campaigns across digital platforms/social media, patient groups etc or other areas on the commercial front.
Can AI act as Virtual Sales Assistants for field colleagues to provide them with instant answers to medical and product queries, dosage recommendations, and competitor comparisons during sales calls? AI can suggest personalised talking points based on the doctor’s specialty, prescribing behaviour, or patient demographics. AI can help prioritise doctor visits by analysing past interactions, prescription potential, and regional data trends. Already being done, you say? Not really, at least not in the way its meant to be done.
AI based tools can help to train and upskill the sales force. AI-powered platforms can simulate sales scenarios, offering feedback on communication, regulatory compliance, and objection handling. This can help the sales force handle more engagements effectively and focus on high-priority customers. However India has adoption barriers. Some field colleagues operate in rural areas with limited digital infrastructure, hence adoption is slower.
AI is transforming the commercial front for pharma, especially in sales enablement, omnichannel marketing, and patient engagement. While global adoption is robust, markets like India are steadily catching up. To maximize effectiveness, firms must overcome challenges like data silos, compliance complexities, and adoption gaps. AI’s ability to personalize, optimize, and scale commercial strategies makes it a game-changer for forward-thinking pharma companies.
Such an interesting read! I find it fascinating how AI is shaping pharma marketing, especially in creating more personalized engagement. One thought I had while reading was how AI could also play a role in improving access in rural areas. Imagine combining AI-driven tools with telemedicine to address both marketing needs and healthcare delivery gaps in underserved regions—it feels like a win-win.
Another thing that stands out to me is the challenge of data silos. Collaborations between pharma companies and health-tech startups could be one way to tackle this while also streamlining real-world evidence use.
It’s exciting to think about how AI can go beyond just marketing and actually build trust and accessibility within communities.