Italian pharma sector still only halfway there when it comes to artificial intelligence; there is a shortage of expertise
The obstacle is neither money nor the technology itself: rather, it is the lack of adequate skills, as well as internal resistance, that are the main issues
Artificial intelligence is making ever greater inroads into the Italian pharmaceutical sector, even though the technological maturity of our companies is currently still only halfway there (or rather, slightly less). The bottleneck is neither funding nor the technology itself: rather, it is the lack of adequate skills, coupled with internal resistance. However, where adoption is not treated as a mere formality or a simple suggestion, but is instead integrated into operational plans with the involvement of managers and staff, AI is making giant strides. This picture emerges from the first Act4AI 2026 Observatory, promoted by BioPharma Network – the pharmaceutical managers’ association – in collaboration with Assist Digital, which will be presented today in Milan at the Meet Digital Culture Centre during the Act4AI Forum. The survey involved 145 managers and professionals across more than 15 business functions.
According to the survey, the sector’s AI maturity index stands at 44.3 out of 100, on a scale of 0 to 100. Of the six dimensions measured (Strategy & Vision, Governance & Compliance, Data Technology, Process & Decision-making, People & Culture, Customer Experience), only one exceeds 50 – Strategy & Vision at 50.7 – whilst the other five range between 39.0 and 43.6. The transformation is obviously not proceeding at the same pace everywhere. Companies with fewer than 250 employees score 39.2, whilst those with over 5,000 score 48.3. Those operating locally have a score of 39.4, whilst those with a global role score 47.7. Italian-owned companies stand at 40.4, whilst multinationals with headquarters abroad stand at 44.9.
Turning to the gaps, the first area requiring action concerns people. One in two respondents cites skills and training (29 per cent) and digital literacy and internal resistance (21 per cent) as the main gaps to be bridged, whilst when asked about the main barrier to AI adoption, technology and infrastructure account for just 5 per cent. The technology, therefore, is available and well known, but the most sought-after skill is not a specialist one: 62 per cent highlight the need for basic AI and digital literacy. People also value being involved in this transformation. Indeed, in companies where the adoption of digital systems remains merely a suggestion – a formal document rather than a practical reality – respondents rate the value of digital and AI within the company at 54.3 out of 100. Where, on the other hand, these systems are incorporated into operational plans and decision-making, this rating rises to 77.1 points. This is because the ‘participation’ factor comes into play: those involved in transformation programmes rate their organisation’s maturity at 57.9 points, whilst those left out rate it at 31.4.
As well as assessing the level of digital maturity, the Observatory identifies five strategic drivers and five levers for action to support companies, as explained by Michele Barletta, President of BioPharma Network: ‘Moving from strategy to execution by strengthening the ability to translate strategy into action; putting people at the centre by investing in upskilling and reskilling; turning vision into engagement by leveraging change management programmes; using data and infrastructure as enablers of transformation, accelerating the integration of corporate know-how with new technologies; and opening up to the ecosystem by developing an internal culture and leadership that are increasingly ecosystem-oriented.”
There are four profiles, known as Pharma-Mentis, which represent different ways in which people approach digital transformation and AI: the Director (41 per cent), the Inventor (19 per cent), the Guardian (32 per cent) and the Pioneer (7 per cent): ‘With Pharma-Mentis, we have gone beyond the average maturity score, identifying four profiles that reflect different levels of contribution in terms of strategic vision and execution capabilities. This is not about classifying people, but about offering companies a tool to recognise strengths, obstacles and opportunities for development, guiding targeted initiatives in upskilling, reskilling and change management,” concludes Francesca Gabrielli, CEO of Assist Digital.
