As the pharmaceutical industry looks towards 2026, a clear theme is emerging throughout the life sciences, “healthtech” and manufacturing sectors: the time of experimentation is giving way to an era of outcomes.

Artificial intelligence, digital platforms and new care models are no longer novel talking points. Their value will increasingly be judged on whether they deliver tangible benefits in productivity, cost control and speed to market.
AI already dominates healthtech investment, but its role is evolving. The question is no longer whether a company uses AI, but whether it can prove a measurable impact, notes Paula Burke, Director, Life Sciences and Healthcare (Digital Health and Devices).
