Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. has announced a major partnership with Google Cloud to expand its artificial intelligence capabilities, with plans to invest up to $1 billion over the coming years.

The collaboration, revealed at Google’s Cloud Next conference in Las Vegas, will focus on integrating advanced AI tools—including Google’s Gemini Enterprise platform—across Merck’s operations, from drug discovery to manufacturing and commercial processes, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Executives from both companies said the partnership goes beyond simple technology adoption, with Google Cloud engineers expected to work directly alongside Merck teams to build long-term AI infrastructure and solutions.

Merck’s Chief Information and Digital Officer, Dave Williams, indicated that the initiative could span at least a decade, signaling a deep and sustained investment in AI-driven transformation.

The companies aim to accelerate drug development by using AI for tasks such as simulating laboratory experiments, streamlining regulatory workflows, and improving data analysis.

According to Merck, early use of AI tools has already reduced the time and cost required to compile regulatory dossiers by up to 50%, a process critical for gaining approval and reimbursement for new medicines in global markets.

Thomas Kurian emphasized that the partnership reflects a broader goal of using AI to deliver real-world benefits, including faster development of treatments for diseases.

Merck plans to scale its AI capabilities globally, building on existing applications that have already been used in clinical reporting and regulatory documentation.

The deal highlights a growing trend of collaboration between Big Tech and the pharmaceutical industry, as companies race to harness AI to improve efficiency, cut costs, and speed up innovation in healthcare.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada