In her current role, Dhaliwal oversees commercial operations, insights, analytics, and digital engagement. She’s spearheading a company-wide AI capability uplift programme, launched in June, with 60% of staff already trained. Her approach is intentional, aiming to inspire, champion change, and ensure no one is left behind.

AI’s potential in life sciences is vast: from content generation and learning avatars to patient treatment optimisation and healthcare system support. Yet, Dhaliwal warned of ethical pitfalls: “An AI model used to detect skin cancer only worked on Caucasian samples,” she noted, illustrating the dangers of biased data.

Her key message? Stay curious. “Use your voice, embrace new ideas, and never stop asking questions.” Dhaliwal’s leadership exemplifies how women can drive responsible, inclusive AI adoption in pharma.

“Every single year, more data is created than ever before in civilisation,” Murray said. “But what’s the point unless we can derive insights from it?” Her discovery of ChatGPT in November 2022 catalysed her business, and she now advocates for AI as a communication tool, rather than a technical challenge.

Murray highlighted the risks of ‘Shadow AI’ – unregulated personal use of AI tools outside organisational oversight – and stressed the importance of clear prompts and critical thinking. “A prompt can only be written by someone who can do the task manually,” she noted, underscoring the need for foundational skills.

She too addressed the gender gap in AI adoption, advocating for safe spaces where women can experiment without pressure and for elevating female AI adopters within organisations, suggesting a reframing of the technology and the creation of “intentional rooms for women to learn and lead.”

“[Providing] insights from many sources, evidence generation, shaping clinical narratives – AI can help with all of it,” she explained. But she cautioned against overreliance, especially in systematic literature reviews, and emphasised the need for human oversight.

Saeed’s team is exploring AI for adverse event detection, predictive modelling, and treatment pattern analysis. Yet, GenAI is not fully mature. Data access remains a barrier, requiring partnerships and licensing. And as for ‘human in the loop’? That will always be necessary.

Saeed also addressed the evolving role of agencies. With AI enabling in-house content creation, agencies may shift toward crafting early scientific narratives. “Medical Affairs needs to provide the ‘So what?’ context,” she said, suggesting a strategic repositioning for external partners.

Personal productivity was her most successful AI use, though. From white papers to job descriptions, AI is helping her team work smarter. But she remains cautious: “Until we’re ready to be judged by robots in a court of law, AI cannot decide if a drug is safe.”

As for real-world adoption, Dhaliwal posited that uptake was higher than expected, though finance teams remained sceptical. “We need peers to share use cases,” she said, emphasising the importance of relatable examples.

Concerns were raised about ChatGPT’s limitations, also. Here, tool diversity is key. Whilst compliance is still on a learning curve, according to Dhaliwal: “We’re catching up as we go,” she admitted, highlighting the need for flexible governance.

Environmental concerns are, of course, a very real consideration. For example, Murray compared AI’s energy use to fast fashion and junk food: “One GenAI image uses the energy of half a smartphone battery,” she explained, urging mindful usage.

The conversation also touched on language bias, with English dominating scientific discourse. It was suggested that AI could eventually democratise access to non-English content.

Parmentier’s closing remarks brought the discussion full circle: “Do we need intentional spaces for women in AI?” The answer, echoed by the room, was a resounding yes. Gender-specific sessions, diverse representation, and proactive upskilling are not just beneficial – they’re essential.

Overall, what is most critical is to learn how to prompt. In a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, the ability to ask the right questions – and to do so with confidence – is a skill that will define the future of work.

As AI continues to evolve, the life sciences industry must ensure that its transformation is inclusive, ethical, and driven by diverse voices. The women at this event are not just participants in that journey – they are leading it.