Using AI moves from pilot to column

• The 2025 LogiPharma AI report highlights the shift from real-time monitoring to predictive AI tools in pharmaceutical supply chains, including machine learning for risk alerts, blockchain technology, and demand sensing at product launch.
• Industry leaders are prioritizing multi-layered flexibility with increased investment in cold chain infrastructure, comprehensive quality assurance, and proactive risk prevention to protect patient safety.
• Key barriers to AI deployment include internal resistance (70%), regulatory uncertainty, and a lack of skilled talent and AI literacy.

A report commissioned by LogiPharma highlighted significant changes in the way pharmaceutical supply chains are adopting AI, reflecting an industry in transition.

of the LogiPharma AI Report 2025Based on a survey of 100 senior supply chain leaders across Europe and North America, it shows that AI adoption has grown, with investments shifting from surveillance to intelligence.

Ben Sharples, LogiPharma conference director, said: “In the past year, AI has progressed from pilot to practical deployment, with its applications reaching almost every part of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

“In the context of an increasingly unpredictable world, the industry is focusing on ensuring it is prepared for complexity, moving towards multi-layered resilience, prevention, predictability and contingency.”

The report’s findings show that although investment remains flat in real-time monitoring, particularly around vulnerabilities in cold chain logistics, AI adoption is now strongest in the area of ​​predictive intelligence. The report found that 64% of respondents evaluated a range of blockchain and custody technologies, along with data analytics platforms (54%) and AI/ML for predictive risk alerts (53%), indicating a move towards a more proactive approach to resilience.

“Pharmaceutical products save lives, and even small changes in temperature can affect effectiveness or cause complete damage,” says Johnson Stafford, Regional Director of Cargo Europe, one of the experts who contributed to the report. “Challenges include intermediary changes, customs delays, and environmental extremes. Therefore, the focus has shifted from basic compliance to ensure total quality, through dedicated infrastructure, expert staff, and proactive monitoring to stay ahead of risks.”

However, while future readiness and flexibility remain top of mind for stakeholders, the report found that the most common AI investment in the industry is demand sensing in new product launches, reflecting growing interest and confidence in the predictive and creative capabilities of AI technology.

Qualitative responses also confirmed this, with many emphasizing AI’s potential to improve patient outcomes, from personalized medication delivery to faster drug recalls and counterfeit product detection. But, according to the participants, this information must be balanced with human supervision, although AI is not seen as a decision-maker, but as a trusted partner.

“Customers are looking for transformative solutions that can redefine how their operations are managed, not just transaction processing tools,” says Shabir Daud, TraceLink president and CEO. “What we need—and what we’re building at TraceLink—is an operating model in which AI is not a fixed tool, but a trusted partner that helps leaders respond to incidents faster and with more confidence.”

Trust remains at the heart of industry debates about the use of AI, with internal resistance (70%) representing the biggest challenge to widespread adoption. This reflects a widespread cultural mistrust Artificial Intelligence in the WorkplaceThis is a challenge that is being addressed at the governmental level all over the world. Other barriers identified include regulatory uncertainty (58%) and lack of skilled talent or AI knowledge (48%).

Artificial intelligence and digital transformation will be key topics of discussion during the upcoming Logipharma conference in Vienna, 14y Until the 16thy April 2026

“LogiPharma brings together supply chain and logistics experts from around the world, providing an opportunity for industry leaders to exchange ideas and best practices,” says Ben Sharples. “As AI technology advances and the industry works to harness its potential, it’s never been more important that we come together as a team to ensure we maximize the potential benefits — not just for the supply chain, but ultimately for patients.”