If we were to consider the AI transformation through data, the picture could be as follows:

It starts with excitement:

● 85% of top pharma execs call AI an “immediate priority” and are scaling their budgets accordingly

Includes worries:

● 60% of leaders worry their organization’s leadership lacks a plan and vision to implement AI; while 45% of white collar workers are worried about being replaced by AI

And currently is a challenge:

● 95% of AI pilots fail; and only 14% of employees become superusers when GenAI licences are deployed (without job-specific training)

Why? Answering that requires understanding the story of AI in many Life Sciences companies, which followed a path similar to this:

Over the last decades, some organizations invested in AI/ machine learning - but mostly in niche applications.

In 2022, OpenAI lowered barriers to AI by releasing ChatGPT 3.5 to the public. For those who learned to use this GenAI effectively, it democratised knowledge, experience and it made them much more efficient.

It changed how we work forever. Fast adopters were thrilled. Yet many senior leaders, some treating GenAI as a hype, some as “interesting opportunity” - didn’t personally upskill. Compelling visions about the future of work in organisations were often not shared.

Due to overwhelming media coverage of AI but little leadership, employees began to fear for the future of their jobs.

GenAI adoption and change management (if any) in most companies were led by enthusiasts and tech functions. Adoption barriers were underestimated, Generative AI (like ChatGPT/Copilot…) was released to employees as a “yet another” useful tool. Without proper change management, communication, leadership and job-specific /tailored training.

Resulting in too few super users to spark real momentum.

In 2025, larger implementations often began as grassroots pilots driven by employee excitement and not the strategic vision, combined with the challenges above - ended up as pilots failing or failing to scale.*

At the same time there are pharma and biotech companies that are already harvesting return on investment from their AI initiatives. How to do it well then?

EfficiencyTactics is a Danish advisory and upskilling company focused on people centric AI adoption, partnering with top pharma and biotech companies to enable successful AI transformation. Its CEO and Founder Marcelina Dutkiewicz, advises stepping away from thinking about AI as an ‘implementation’ and treating it as a major transformation.

Marcelina recommends considering AI as a deep and profound change in the ways of working for individuals and ways of operating for companies, highlights the importance of senior leadership upskilling to enable them to lead by example and reimagine the strategy with AI capabilities in mind.

BIO: Marcelina holds a MSc in Mathematical Modelling, over a decade of experience from R&D, commercial and innovation roles from both large pharma - Novo Nordisk, Leo Pharma - and biotech - Genmab - where she served as Director of AI and Digital R&D Strategic Initiatives 2023-2025. Now she shares her knowledge and experience supporting the life sciences sector to strategically implement AI.

*Adapted from book: “It starts with vision - A guide to navigating AI transformation across people, leadership, and life sciences companies” by Marcelina Dutkiewicz, published Nov2025; sales via: www.efficiencytactics.com

For more information: info@efficiencytactics.com

Connect with Marcelina:

*Define Ventures “Inside the C-Suite - Pharma Leaders Share Their Vision for AI.” Jul, 2025

*Data source - BCG, Jan 2025: “GenAI in The Nordics”

**Source: MIT “State of AI in Business 2025 Report”; *Microsoft “Work Trend Index”, 2024