The Engagement Paradox

HCPs and patients are not asking for AI. So why is pharma so determined to give it to them?

Author(s): Rob Verheul, Graphite Digital

There is a growing disconnect between what the industry is offering in terms of digital customer experience and what clinicians actually value.

While pharma invests heavily in AI technologies, many healthcare professionals (HCPs) are quietly disengaging from the digital platforms already available to them.

This is not resistance to innovation but a response to experiences that still require too much effort for too little return.

HCPs and patients are not asking for AI from pharma. They are asking for faster access to relevant, trustworthy information with less effort.

Digital engagement is well established, with recent research showing that 69% interact with pharma digitally on a weekly basis, yet 65% say they have reduced or stopped engaging with a company due to poor digital experiences.

When HCPs are not engaging, the assumption from pharma is typically that platforms need to be more personalised, more dynamic or more intelligent. From that perspective, AI becomes an obvious next step.

However, this risks solving the wrong problem.