Suresh Martha, Head of Data-Driven Innovations and Analytics at EMD Serono speaks with Lana Feng, Co-Founder and CEO of Huma.AI about his professional journey, the pharma industry from a data analytics standpoint, the impact of generative AI on the industry, addressing the fear of AI, and staying relevant in the face of innovation.
Merck Serono (EMD Serono in the US and Canada) is a German pharmaceutical company and a biopharmaceutical brand and division of Merck.
With 18 years of experience in the data analytics and AI space, Martha has worked across industries ranging from finance to sports before joining pharma in 2015.
Comparing tech and pharma from a data analytics standpoint, Martha states that both industries have different focal areas and motives. However, when it comes to data and analytics, the tools and technology used behind the scenes are still the same.
Moreover, in tech, there are fewer privacy concerns compared to the pharmaceutical industry because of regulations, and HIPAA compliance.
When asked about the impact of generative AI on the pharmaceutical industry, Martha says that generative AI promises substantial benefits, from drug development to personalized medical treatment.
Commenting further he says that AI can process large amounts of data and reduce the turnaround time of drug development. Martha highlights two other areas of impact with generative AI:
The clinical trial side where it helps in recruiting patients by going through genetic profile or medical history
AI-powered chatbots for customers to get information at their fingertips
Moving forward, he states that a lack of awareness about AI can develop fear among employees. Martha believes that AI is there to assist each employee to increase efficiency and productivity.
When asked if AI would replace employees, he responds by stating that it is a tool that augments human capabilities. For instance, Martha refers to Microsoft’s language model Copilot.
Furthermore, he asserts that internal training must be provided to employees and those eager to learn can benefit. On the other hand, sometimes as a CDO or manager, extra efforts must be put into educating employees on the benefits of upskilling, says Martha.
Speaking of staying relevant in the face of innovation, he mentions attending conferences, learning from peers, and being a part of different communities. Martha concludes that this is the best way to learn from each other.
CDO Magazine appreciates Suresh Martha for sharing his insights with our global community.