AI and Analytics Appear Ready to Surge in Sales and Marketing

Spurred on by COVID-19 and companies' evolving digital maturity, AI looks set to gain a real foothold in pharma's promotional activities A 2021 report from ZS on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in sales and marketing noted that pharma's promotional environment now "requires significantly more sophistication in commercial approaches than in the past." "1 A survey released around the same time suggested that the next few years will see AI/analytics in sales and marketing rise from a current use rate of 4% to around 18%.~ Supporting these views, customer engagement company Aktana has observed more companies scaling their AI capabilities across multiple geographies, therapeutic areas, and brands, exhibiting a much stronger commitment than simply "dipping a proverbial toe into the AI pool, as they have been doing for the last three to five years." During that time, pharma began building digital channels at scale, but the effect did not "automatically translate to the physician experience because it wasn't orchestrated in the right way," says Aktana Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Derek Choy.