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The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the pharmaceutical industry has rapidly expanded in recent years. To quantitatively assess this emerging trend, previous studies have conducted bibliometric analyses using publication databases to elucidate leading affiliations, research themes, and the contributions and research focuses of key players, including mega pharma, big IT firms, AI startups, and academic institutions. However, quantitative analyses that leverage patent databases to capture these significant shifts and assess the contributions of the key players are scarce. This study investigated technological trends in AI applications within the pharmaceutical industry and clarify the roles and strategic focuses of key players through patent analysis. A total of 1365 AI-related pharmaceutical patent applications in the United States between 2000 and 2023 were identified. Through a detailed analysis of patents, we revealed that AI is strategically employed across critical business domains, including drug discovery, drug development, diagnosis, manufacturing, marketing, and healthcare. Moreover, the study unveiled the specific business areas where each key player has focused their AI-driven initiatives and historical contributions to AI applications in the pharmaceutical industry. The findings underscore both patent and literature analyses are essential to comprehensively assess AI applications and contributions of key players in the pharmaceutical industry. • AI applications in the pharmaceutical industry identified through a patent database. • Analyze AI focus areas in the pharmaceutical value chain by major players. • Patent analysis revealed each player's chronological contributions to AI adoption. • Both patent and literature analyses are essential for profiling AI related activities.
Sakaoka et al. (Mon,) studied this question.