Pfizer Appoints New Chief AI Officer to Enhance Digital Innovation

As Amber Jackson reports for Technology Magazine, Pfizer has appointed Berta Rodriguez-Hervas as its new Chief AI and Analytics Officer, signaling the company's commitment to advancing its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Rodriguez-Hervas, who brings extensive experience from major technology and automotive companies such as Stellantis and Nvidia, will play a pivotal role in driving AI adoption within the pharmaceutical giant.

Rodriguez-Hervas will lead Pfizer’s AI operations and serve as co-chair of the company’s AI Council. Her appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Pfizer's global AI strategies, particularly in the areas of machine learning and analytics. Rodriguez-Hervas holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering and has held significant roles in AI development, including her most recent position as Vice President of AI, Algorithms, and ML Ops at Stellantis, where she focused on strategies for autonomous vehicles. Her tenure at Nvidia further solidified her expertise in computer vision and deep learning projects.

Pfizer is already utilizing AI in various aspects of its operations, including clinical development, where AI is employed to generate documents, tables, and reports that are crucial for drug approval processes. The company aims to shorten the time to market for new drugs and gain deeper insights from clinical data, leveraging AI to enhance both drug discovery and patient care.

See also: Maturing Pharma 4.0: How Digital Transformation Continues To Reshape Pharmaceuticals

The role of Chief AI Officer is becoming increasingly common across industries as companies recognize the need for dedicated leadership in AI strategy and governance. A recent poll by Gartner indicates that 54% of organizations have appointed a head of AI or AI leader, reflecting the growing importance of AI in digital transformation efforts. For Pfizer, the appointment of Rodriguez-Hervas underscores the company's intent to harness AI to improve operational efficiencies and support its mission of achieving breakthroughs that change patients' lives.

For more details, read the original reporting in Technology Magazine.

Image credit: Mikhail Bogdanov, iStock

Topics: AI & Digital