AI use in life sciences rises, data & privacy issues persist

New research findings from the Pistoia Alliance reveal a significant increase in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in life sciences, with ongoing concerns around data management and privacy.

The Pistoia Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation, has released its annual Lab of the Future survey, conducted alongside Open Pharma Research. The survey targeted 200 experts from across Europe, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific region, showing a notable rise in AI and Machine Learning (AI/ML) application within life sciences. The results indicate that 68% of respondents currently use AI/ML in their operations, a significant increase from 54% the previous year. Additionally, AI/ML is identified as the top technological investment area for the coming two years, as reported by 62% of respondents.

Despite the increased use of AI, challenges associated with data management persist. Key issues include the inability to access data, highlighted by 59% of respondents, and the handling of unstructured data, noted by 54%. There is also concern over the lack of metadata standardisation, cited by 48% of participants as a significant barrier.

Dr Becky Upton, President of the Pistoia Alliance, commented, "The good news is that cultural barriers to AI adoption are falling as organisations realise the benefits of the technology for accelerating scientific innovation. But the survey shows a sizeable number of respondents are still facing data issues, and fresh concerns are arising around privacy and security, perhaps due to the ambiguities surrounding new legislation including the EU AI Act." She added that communal recognition of these challenges underscores the need for the life sciences industry to collaborate in overcoming these obstacles.

The report also highlighted rising privacy and security concerns among respondents, with 41% expressing apprehensions, an increase from the previous year's 34%. According to 28% of the respondents, the perception of AI as not trustworthy, reliable, or responsible remains a challenge.

According to Zahid Tharia, Pistoia Alliance Consultant and Director of Open Pharma Research, a growing number of respondents report financial barriers to AI adoption, rising from 14% in the previous year to 20%. Despite this increase, Tharia noted, "Yet we can see that most organisations are still planning to invest in AI, which is a positive sign for R&D overall."

The survey also addressed the necessity of improving data governance frameworks. 49% of respondents called for more robust frameworks, while 46% expressed the need for templates for standardisation and metadata. Additionally, 45% requested best practice guides and "how-tos."

Christian Baber, Chief Portfolio Officer for the Pistoia Alliance, remarked, "The 14% increase in the use of AI in labs found in this year's survey clearly shows that AI is being successfully delivered, but not having FAIR data with consistent metadata standards continues to be a challenge according to almost 40% of respondents." He also mentioned the importance of developing company standards or guidelines for data sharing and workflows.