{
  "id": 6391605,
  "title": "As China embraces AI, only 24% of US pharma execs bet on it for drug-making",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/as-china-embraces-ai-only-24-of-us-pharma-execs-bet-on-it-for-drug",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-09T06:00:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3366863/china-embraces-ai-only-24-us-pharma-execs-bet-it-drug-making"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent Citi survey reveals that while many US pharmaceutical executives are optimistic about AI's role in drug discovery, only a quarter expect it to significantly improve the likelihood of developing successful drugs. The biggest risk to AI-powered drug discovery is not its acceleration of discovery, but rather whether that speed translates into better drugs and higher success probabilities. Currently, 72% of surveyed executives have either \"scaled\" or \"fully scaled\" AI across research and development. However, only 24% anticipate AI delivering a meaningful boost in drug success probability, with 56% predicting only a moderate improvement. Human biology, clinical judgment, and execution are seen as persistent bottlenecks regardless of AI deployment. Early-stage discovery, particularly targeting identification and validation, is seen as the area where AI can yield the most success rate improvements, followed by lead optimization and hit identification/screening. Executives anticipate a double-digit rise in AI-related R&D spending over the next year. Chinese companies like HitGen and Xtalpi are already profitable and could see earnings accelerate as demand for their AI-powered solutions grows. However, Chinese AI drug discovery firms trade at a significantly lower price-to-sales ratio compared to their US counterparts, indicating a potential undervaluation.",
  "summary": "Pharmaceutical companies have embraced artificial intelligence in drug research almost universally, yet few company executives expect AI to actually make drugs succeed, according to a Citi survey released on Tuesday. “The biggest risk to the AI-powered drug discovery thesis is not that AI fails to accelerate discovery,” said John Yung, head of Asia healthcare research at the US investment bank.…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "SCMP Business",
        "title": "As China embraces AI, only 24% of US pharma execs bet on it for drug-making",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/as-china-embraces-ai-only-24-of-us-pharma-execs-bet-on-it-for-drug-6392025",
        "published": "2026-09-09T06:00:15.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}