Bringing AI into drug discovery: Promise vs. reality

Is AI just doing what we already do, only faster? Or can it uncover biology we would never find ourselves? That question came up at “Bringing AI into drug discovery: Promise vs. reality”, a panel held on 5 October 2026 in Basel - and the view from the stage was more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Moderated by Ardigen, the discussion brought together pharma, biotech and investment voices to separate what AI has achieved so far from what it still owes. Along the way, they dug into: → Where AI is genuinely paying off, and where it has yet to deliver in the clinic → Why more and cleaner data doesn’t automatically mean better answers → What makes AI tools stick inside organizations, and why others don’t → Point solutions vs. end-to-end platforms, and what the next competitive moat might be → How much of a medicine’s fate is decided before trials even begin → Will AI labs start developing their own drugs? (audience Q&A) Moderator: Jan Majta, PhD - Director of AI Solutions, Ardigen Panelists: Florian Nigsch, PhD - Director of Data Science, Novartis Biomedical Research John Castle, PhD - Chief Data and Information Officer, Monte Rosa Therapeutics Marc Cikes - Managing Director, Debiopharm Innovation Fund Watch the full conversation. Learn more about Ardigen: https://ardigen.com/ Follow Ardigen on LinkedIn:   / ardigen-s-a-