Industry Outlook 2026: Success through Top Talent, AI Utilization, and Sustainability

In the past year, the pharmaceutical industry has navigated a variety of global disruptions and technological advancements. How can pharmaceutical companies set themselves up for success during challenging times? Ian Bilodeau, managing director, Ardena US, sees AI as a way for companies to bridge fragmented databases and, potentially, outpace their competitors.

“I think it's not just about using the technology to do the analysis on the compound, but how do you embed this technology, the AI, in your day-to-day decision making and accelerating the process in which you develop your product? I think that's a big game changer,” Bilodeau explains.

He also stresses the importance of creating a workplace where employees can grow and feel challenged. “If you look at the individuals that are coming out of college now and ready to enter the workforce, they're a little bit more selective about the environment in which they're going to work. And then you want to create that environment that will be inviting to them,” Bilodeau says. “So, you want to offer them a good challenge, the ability to have an impact, right? People feel good about the impact they may have. And ultimately, you want to give them a career path that will meet their aspirations but also feel the impact that they have. You want to give them the responsibilities that they that will continue to evolve and continue to learn. And that's the culture you want to recreate, that you want to create to really attract the top talent.”

Another way to maintain a competitive edge, according to Bilodeau, is to be up to date with sustainability practices. “At Ardena, we received the EcoVardis certification, and then we also follow through with our own supply chain the same way, because this is clearly an area that the key customer [Big Pharma] cares about, and we know it's a competitive advantage to have this type of effort put in on a day-to-day basis,” he says.