Merck and Mastercard are both reaping the benefits of agentic AI, but it’s the foundational infrastructure, or “plumbing,” that has made these advancements possible. Merck’s VP of Digital Platforms, Sean Finnerty, emphasizes that without a strong underlying infrastructure, the integration of AI would simply be another burden rather than an asset.
### Building the Infrastructure
Merck’s commitment to a plumbing-first strategy has its roots in lessons from the early cloud adoption days of the 2010s. At that time, companies were scrambling to understand cloud technology, often resulting in chaotic and inefficient implementations. Learning from past missteps, Merck focused on building a robust infrastructure that now supports 2,500 AWS accounts, with additional resources from Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
The infrastructure is designed to handle the complexities of AI integration, such as registration, security, and connectivity of AI agents. Merck’s infrastructure also manages vast amounts of data stored across multiple platforms, which is crucial for delivering the right context to AI agents. The approach is strategic and flexible, allowing workloads to be run on different platforms like AWS or GCP depending on the need.
### AI in Action: Merck’s Use Cases
Merck is deploying AI agents in various sectors, including regulated enterprise operations and scientific research workflows. One of the most impactful applications has been in drug discovery. Traditionally, developing a drug can take years, even if a disease is well understood. By utilizing AI, Merck has managed to cut some research cycles by a third, potentially getting life-saving therapies to patients a year sooner.
In addition to speeding up drug discovery, AI is also revolutionizing Merck’s marketing processes. Regulatory compliance is a significant hurdle in pharmaceutical marketing, requiring precise communication tailored to specific regions and markets. AI is now generating marketing drafts that are 99% accurate in terms of compliance, drastically reducing review cycles from months to days and increasing delivery speed by 70% to 80%.
### Competitive Landscape and Industry Implications
Merck isn’t alone in harnessing AI; competitors in the pharmaceutical industry are also exploring similar avenues. However, the emphasis on foundational infrastructure gives Merck a potential edge. Companies diving into AI without a robust infrastructure risk creating fragmented, inefficient systems that could become liabilities over time.
For founders and engineers, Merck’s approach underscores the importance of building a solid technological foundation before implementing advanced technologies like AI. It’s a reminder that while AI offers numerous opportunities, its efficacy is closely tied to the quality of the infrastructure supporting it.
### What Comes Next
As Merck continues to refine and expand its AI capabilities, the focus remains on strengthening its infrastructure. The company plans to further integrate AI into other areas, capitalizing on its robust digital framework to explore new possibilities and efficiencies.
For those in the tech and pharmaceutical industries, the takeaway is clear: investing in infrastructure is not a luxury but a necessity. Before jumping into AI, ensuring your digital plumbing is in place could be the difference between achieving meaningful results and facing technological debt.
