Abraham Gilbert, Head of Machine Learning Agile Scrum Coach/ Brainpool AI

Abraham has extensive experience using machine learning techniques such as deep learning, natural language processing, pattern recognition, artificial intelligence, and neural networking (CNN/ANN). 

This experience includes a skilled mixture used to drive continual advancement in healthcare technology and big data. 

Abraham believes strongly that AI is ready to revolutionise the BioPharma.

“With the confrontation of power of artificial intelligence, we largely speed up the efficiency”.


How is AI changing pharma?

I think artificial intelligence is changing pharma by decreasing the amount of time it takes to get products to their places. In pharma, you have such large mechanisms of action for the entire system. However, it is very difficult to match the necessary compounds with the necessary individuals. With the confrontation of power of artificial intelligence, we largely speed up the efficiency. Artificial has a large impact, much larger than any other mechanism of action.

What can AI do to augment and not replace cognitive intelligence in the big Pharma and MedTech space.

With AI, you can use natural processes to comb through hundreds and thousands of medical records, to find inclusion and exclusion criteria, and match those to the appropriate patients. In normal cases of clinical trials, this can take up to 10 years. Artificial intelligence allows us to do this in weeks. It can be difficult to find enough suitable participants for particular trials, and this then results in those trials not being successful. You could go through terabytes and terabytes of medical records to find suitable patients using artificial intelligence, making trials reach the market much faster. On the other hand, you can run through the computations of different clinical compounds. Through genotyping and phenotyping, you can help manufacture medications for specific ethnic groups, for example. This certainly augments the capabilities of cognitive intelligence. Artificial intelligence is not replacing cognitive intelligence, but it improves it, and speeds up the process.

How do we educate an ageing population to adapt to digital/tech healthcare solutions?

If you look in the Pharma market right now, you can draw a distinct line between those healthcare professionals and practitioners with a digital concept, and those without. Medicine in itself is comprised of a huge body of knowledge, but when you add on technology, it almost doubles the size of this body. It entails two entirely different thought processes.

What you have to do is start early, and gradually provide individuals with small pieces of information so that they can become comfortable. It is purely an evolution of comfort and a cultural shift. A lot of physicians are afraid that medical technology is trying to replace them. However, a medical practitioner cannot memorise the copious of medical research and information that may be required of them when treating a patient. Artificial intelligence therefore serves as an assistant, not a replacement, to provide a resource at your demand. To use technology at the click of a button is not difficult, no matter how old you are. This issue is that, the speed at which technology is progressing, combined with the fact that we are not stopping to educate our aging population, means that it remains a cultural problem. This technological change is not something people in the ageing population have ever experienced. No one is stopping to explain how it all works. It goes from being a productive augmentation to being slightly frightening. The ageing population feel that they are left behind. We need to have better education tailored to the elderly.