Intelligent life sciences

AI is reshaping both scientific innovation and business operations in life sciences

KPMG's extensive research into AI use across eight industries, finds that unlike sectors still experimenting or struggling to scale the tech, life sciences organizations have embedded AI deeply into their operations — from R&D and clinical trials to supply chains and commercial functions. For many, AI is not just a tool, but a core part of how they work.

The challenge is no longer whether AI can deliver value, but how companies can reshape their organizations to fully realize its potential. The Intelligent life sciences report explores how leading life sciences firms are making this transition — adapting their operating models, breaking down silos, and fostering AI-driven agility. This report also offers actionable insights into how organizations can take a value-based approach to AI that helps to accelerate innovation, unlock new growth opportunities, and maximize the impact of their AI investments.

Life Sciences companies have emerged as advanced adopters of AI, embedding it across R&D, clinical trials, and commercial operations. Yet despite clear momentum, generating consistently high returns on AI investments remains a challenge. Data fragmentation—silos, inconsistent formats, and privacy constraints—continues to be a critical barrier. This report explores how leading firms are bridging the AI value gap, adapting operating models, and taking a value-based, scalable approach to AI that delivers measurable outcomes.

Peter Van den Spiegel

Partner

KPMG Belgium

At-a-glance insights:

A sector out front

92% state their organizations are clear on which AI technologies and capabilities should be invested in

69% have a clear strategic vision of the role AI will play over the next five years

97% report having achieved operational improvements through the adoption of AI

Respondents also say that AI is also having a high degree of impact in:

Supply chain and logistics
IT
R&D

Despite promising results proving value of the tech remains elusive

ROI on AI initiatives in life sciences

Anne Julie Verhaeghe

Director, Strategy | Advisory

KPMG in Belgium

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Operating model adaptability key to driving AI-enabled value creation

The KPMG research finds that organizations who use a combination of functional and agile models are twice as likely to achieve high ROI compared to those with traditional functional or matrix-based structures.

How to realize value from your AI transformation journey

To address these challenges, KPMG introduces the three phases of AI value — a framework designed to guide retailers through the AI adoption journey. This phased approach provides a structured roadmap, helping retail prioritize investments, align initiatives with business goals, and position themselves effectively in the age of AI in retail.

Enable

The Enable phase focuses on enabling people and building AI foundations. Organizations appoint a responsible executive, create an AI strategy, identify high-value use cases, boost AI literacy, align with regulations and establish ethical guardrails. AI pilots are launched across functions, while cloud platforms and pre-trained models are leveraged with minimal customization.

Embed

The Embed phase integrates AI into workflows, products, services, value streams, robotics, and wearables, delivering greater value. A senior leader drives enterprise-wide workforce redesign, re-skilling and change, embedding AI into operating models with a focus on ethics, trust and security. AI agents and diverse models are deployed, supported by cloud and legacy tech modernization, while enterprise-wide data enhances operations.

Evolve

The Evolve phase evolves business models and ecosystems, using AI and frontier technologies like quantum computing and blockchain to solve large sector-wide challenges. AI orchestrates seamless value across enterprises and partners. Emphasizing ethics and trust with real-time security, this phase uplifts human potential with broad and deep workforce training, fostering a creative, innovative and value-driven future.