Market Size (2018)
2018
$205.90M
Vertical: HealthcareBase Year: 202112 Sections
Market Size (2018)
2018
$205.90M
Projected (2030)
2030
$4.52B
CAGR (2018–2030)
29.4%
29.4%Key Players
109+
The factors such as increasing adoption of AI in drug discovery, rising strategic initiatives for AI in drug discovery, increasing number of AI-powered drug discovery start-ups, and a growing number of public-private partnerships propelling the adoption of AI-powered solutions in drug discovery and development processes is helping the growth of the market. Furthermore, the growing demand for novel drug therapies and the life science industry's increasing manufacturing capacities are driving the demand for AI enabled solutions in drug discovery processes.
The AI In Drug Discovery Market market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 29.4% from 2018 to 2030.
Historical performance and future projections (2020–2030, USD Billion)
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View Subscription PlansAI encompasses several method domains, including reasoning, knowledge representation, solution search, and a fundamental machine learning paradigm. AI is increasingly being used in various sectors of society, particularly the pharmaceutical industry, for tasks such as drug discovery & development, drug repurposing, improving pharmaceutical productivity, and clinical trials, among others; such use reduces human workload while meeting targets in a short period of time. Furthermore, the vast chemical space, which contains more than 10^60 molecules, promotes the development of a large number of drug molecules. The lack of advanced technologies, on the other hand, limits the drug development process, making it a time-consuming and expensive task that can be addressed by using AI. AI can identify hit and lead compounds, as well as provide faster validation of the drug target and optimization of drug structure design.
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View Subscription PlansThis report applies a rigorous multi-stage research process combining primary interviews, secondary data sources, and bottom-up market modelling to ensure accuracy and completeness across all segments and geographies.
Base Year
2021
Historical Period
2018 – 2021
Forecast Period
2021 – 2030
Primary Interviews
150+
Historical data (2018–2021) and forecast period (2021–2030)
Our research process spans primary interviews with industry stakeholders combined with comprehensive secondary data analysis, validated through triangulation across multiple independent sources.
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View Subscription PlansThreat of New Entrants
Any manufacturing company trying to enter the market is required to accept and abide by the mandatory regulatory standards set by regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and others across the globe. Moreover, it may be difficult for new firms to get into this industry due to the brand image of existing large corporations as well as the shortage of an AI workforce, which puts buyers under pressure to purchase existing brand products. However, the fact that a huge number of start-ups are working on and launching products to solve problems such as protein folding, and synthetic accessibility shows that the threat of new entrants in this market is moderate.
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
There are several players at the same time, and consumers are largely at fault because of the increasing incidences of chronic diseases. AI tools reduce the time and cost of drug development, making it easier for suppliers to establish themselves in the market. Furthermore, manufacturers of AI devices and machines used in drug discovery place a premium on the uniqueness of their products in terms of qualitative and quantitative measurement. There is no replacement of the product until the process for drug discovery is finished, as the platform installation cost is also high. So, once the product is installed, there are fewer opportunities to replace the AI devices and machines until the product shows any accuracy problems.
Threat of Substitutes
Substitutes pose a moderate threat in the global AI drug discovery market due to replacing devices and machines with another brand if the existing AI tools exhibit accuracy issues. There is also a slight price difference between the AI tools of competitors. There are several manufacturers in the market, as well as a huge number of start-ups that are offering the platforms at a slightly lower cost than the large corporations. Moreover, there are moderate chances of product replacements as it is based on accuracy and precision, deals with patient life, and are used at a large scale to discover drug molecules.
Bargaining Power of Buyers
The low number of manufacturers compared to consumer demands puts buyers under pressure to purchase AI tools. This is because if buyers miss out on purchasing products, they will be delayed in carrying out their organization's processes. Furthermore, the manufacturer is unable to supply them at the time of their requirement due to a large number of consumers. There are products available in the market from competitors with the same accuracy and precision. However, there will be no brand switching because, once the devices and machines have been installed, they will be suited to the product operating person of that particular organization. Nonetheless, the market players' product costs differ slightly, but the organization continues to use a same brand of product until it discovers inaccuracies and the workforce's inability to operate the instruments. Moreover, as per the research, organizations use the same brand of products continuously because AI tools require a talented workforce. Once it is suited to the organization's workforce, there are minor chances to replace the product due to shortages of AI workforces. Therefore, the consumer keeps purchasing that same brand for several years.
Intensity of Rivalry
The demand for AI tools for drug discovery is high, owing to the huge patient population across the globe, the rising incidences of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and the rising demand for precision medicine. There are many start-ups that are introducing slightly lower-cost products than the existing brand's products. However, there is a high shortage of AI-skilled professionals, which further puts buyers under pressure to keep purchasing the same brand of product. As well, once the buyer installs the AI platform for drug discovery, it will continuously use that platform owing to the high price of installation. Hence, the high cost of installation and shortage of AI further increase the demand for the same brand, and the competition among players is overall moderate.
Market estimates by geography (2030)
InsightNorth America leads with $2.04B by 2030, while Asia Pacific is projected to grow fastest at a 31.4% CAGR.
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View Subscription Plans| REGION | 2018 | 2021 | 2030 | CAGR | SHARE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | $87.31M | $409.00M | $2.04B | 30.0% | 45% |
| Europe | $55.18M | $242.79M | $1.14B | 28.7% | 25% |
| Asia Pacific | $37.96M | $189.84M | $1.00B | 31.4% | 22% |
| Rest of the World | $25.46M | $93.79M | $345.46M | 24.3% | 8% |
| Total | $205.91M | $935.42M | $4.52B | 29.4% | 100% |
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View Subscription PlansTotal Market Size
$4.52B
| APPLICATION | REVENUE ($B) | GROWTH RATE | MARKET PENETRATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| By Product And Service_Services | $2.79B | 29.4% | 60% |
| By Product And Service_Software | $1.73B | 29.4% | 60% |
* Revenue projections based on 2025 estimates. Growth rates represent CAGR 2024–2030. Market penetration indicates current adoption rate within addressable market segments.
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Analytical insights on AI In Drug Discovery Market covering market dynamics, competitive landscape, and strategic outlook.
The AI In Drug Discovery Market market is projected to reach $4.52B by 2030, growing at 29.4% CAGR. The By Product And Service_Services segment holds the largest share.
The use of Artificial Intelligence in the Drug Discover space has been one of the most disruptive movements in the Pharmaceutical R&D space.
The increasing adoption of AI in drug discovery is one of the imperative factors driving the growth of the global AI in the drug discovery market. Likewise, rising strategic initiatives for AI in drug discovery and an increasing number of AI-powered drug discovery start-ups are further fueling the growth of the global market during the forecast period.
However, the shortage of AI workers is expected to hamper the growth of the global market. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that emerging markets will create lucrative opportunity pockets for the players operating in the global market.
The adoption of AI in drug discovery is rising among industries, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. This is primarily owing to the fact that AI offers advanced advantages to discovering the drug molecule and speeds up the drug discovery process.
The advantages of deploying the same has been immense such as AI can easily avoid human errors, improve decision-making, process data faster, and avoid repetitive tasks. Further, AI provides important insights to improve the designing, optimizing, and synthesising of drugs. There are several factors that are increasing the adoption of AI for drug discovery. Some of the most predominant ones include the rising incidences of chronic diseases and precision medicine, owing to the emerging approach to the prevention and treatment of diseases.
AI generates insights by leveraging sophisticated computation in precision medicine and inference, allowing the system to reason and learn, and empowering clinician decision-making through augmented intelligence. Furthermore, several market participants are increasing the precision of their drug portfolios, a process that has been seen to showcase increase in adoption of AI technologies.
For instance, in November 2022, AstraZeneca (UK) revealed that they are applying an 80% precision medicine approach to their biopharmaceutical portfolio. Hence, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the emerging precision medicine approach based on AI technologies, and market players applying for precision medicine with the help of AI are increasing the adoption of AI for drug discovery.
Emerging economies are creating lucrative growth opportunities in the coming years for AI in drug discovery. The major market players, such as Microsoft Corporation (US), IBM Corporation (US), and Alphabet Inc. (US), are entering with advantages in developing regions. This is due to the huge population pool, a lack of awareness about health, the development of new diseases that require further research for drug development, and the rising incidences of chronic illnesses. According to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs' World Population Prospects 2022, population growth by 2100 is expected to be 10.4 billion. Moreover, in July 2022, as per the Pew Research Center, China had a greater population than Europe and the Americas, as well as a population roughly equivalent to that of Africa.
Moreover, increasing numbers of chronic diseases further increase the demand for developing effective drugs in less time. In September 2021, as per the World Health Organization, chronic diseases include cardiovascular diseases, followed by cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. 17.9 million people suffer from cardiovascular diseases annually. Furthermore, several start-ups in the private sector have raised significant funding for an AI-enabled drug discovery pipeline. For instance, in October 2022, Aqemia (France) raised USD 29.5 million in Series A funding in order to scale up drug discovery by combining quantum-inspired physics and machine learning. Hence, rising populations lead to a huge patient pool around the world, increasing chronic diseases further rising the demand for novel treatments, which further require AI for rapid drug discovery and rising investment in an AI-enabled drug discovery pipeline fuels market growth
Impact on Supply Chain
The COVID-19 pandemic affected research activities in most parts of the world. The sectors, which include pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, clinical laboratories, and research and academic institutes, had to stop the ongoing drug discovery. This is due to the reduction in labor caused by the increasing COVID-19 infections and global restrictions on raw material export and import, which further impacted the supply chain. At the same time, the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries were tirelessly working to discover the hit molecules for different variants of COVID-19. The urgency to develop a drug for COVID-19 increased after a few months of the COVID-19 outbreak. This further increases the demand for raw materials such as steel, plastic, or other materials to develop AI technology devices and machines used for drug discovery. This is because industries have begun to heavily rely on AI tools to identify precise targets for COVID-19 treatment. AI tools were the only hope that the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries had to efficiently discover drug molecules for COVID-19 drugs in less time than conventional methods. This gradually recovered the AI supply chain in the drug discovery market until the end of 2020, after which the supply chain is moving at a rapid pace to discover drug molecules.
Impact on Service Demand
COVID-19 had a positive impact on the market demand for AI for drug discovery in 2020-2021. This was due to the high demand for the AI platform after a few months of the COVID-19 outbreak. The main reason for using AI platforms for COVID-19 drug discovery as well as other chronic diseases is that they save time, eliminate human errors, and allow for rapid drug development. Furthermore, there are companies that have increased the use of AI devices and machines for drug discovery due to the rising urgency of drugs, including Deargen (South Korea), Insilico Medicine (Hong Kong), Iktos (France), Benevolent AI (UK), and IBM (US). For instance, in April 2020, IBM (US) released novel AI-powered technologies in order to identify potential targets for creating a new drug molecule for COVID-19, which further fueled the market during the pandemic.
Impact on Market Players
The initial phase of COVID-19 was complex for market firms as COVID-19 infection numbers were continuously increasing. Countries that rely heavily on providing drug discovery services to other countries face restrictions. For instance, so many countries heavily rely on China for drug discovery services, as China has well-developed contract research organizations with AI-developed tools for drug discovery. Some companies, however, began to heavily rely on AI platforms to identify drug targets during the COVID-19 outbreak. The companies, including AstraZeneca (UK), Takeda (Japan), and Bristol-Myers Squibb (US), started to form strategic alliances, which further fuel AI in the drug discovery market. Furthermore, the COVID-19 outbreak had a positive impact on market players, as they chose almost AI tools to accelerate drug discovery in order to reduce drug development time.
Profiles of 109 companies operating in the AI In Drug Discovery Market market, including revenue, employee count, and market positioning where available.
Showing 109 of 109 companies
Exscientia
Company Headquarters: UK, Europe Founded: 2012 Workforce: ~ 500 Company Working: Exscientia is a global pharma tech company using patient-first AI, drug discovery, and design enterprise. The company offers its products under the category of the precision target, precision design, precision experiment, and precision medicine. Moreover, the company platform has delivered the first three AI-system to improve clinical outcome in oncology. The company has strong business presence in Europe region.
BenevolentAI
Company Headquarters: UK, Europe Founded: 2013 Workforce: 500 Company Working: BenevolentAI is a clinical-stage AI-enabled drug discovery and development company. Through the combined capabilities of its AI platform, scientific expertise, and web-lab facilities, Benevolent AI is well-established to deliver novel drug candidates with a higher probability of clinical success. Moreover, BenevolentAI powers a growing in-house pipeline of 13 named drug programmers, and it maintains collaboration with AstraZeneca (UK), as well as research and charitable institutions. The company offers its services under the category of pipeline, COVID-19, atopic dermatitis, and ulcerative colitis as well as company has a strong market presence in Europe.
Cyclica
Company Headquarters: Toronto, Canada Founded: 2013 Workforce: 200 Company Working: Cyclica is a data-driven drug discovery company. The company’s calculation method for polypharmacology is unique in the industry. Cyclica used a proteome-wide lens to measure novel and off-target interaction instantaneously. The company offers its product and services under the category of drug development, network pharmacology, drug repositioning, proteomics, clinical trials, side effects, bioinformatics, systems biology, drug discovery, artificial intelligence, polypharmacology, medicines, machine learning, pharmacology, pharmaceuticals, and bioinformatics. The company has a strong business presence in Canada.
Insilico Medicine
Company Headquarters: Hong Kong, China Founded: 2014 Workforce: 200 Company Working: Insilico Medicine is a technology company specializing in drug discovery and drug development processes. It offers products under the category of pharma.AI suite, pandaomics, chemistry42, and inclinico. The company is dedicated to expanding human productive longevity and transforming every step of the drug discovery and drug development process by best practices in biomarker discovery, drug development, digital medicine, and aging research. The company has a strong business presence in the US, China, Canada, UAE, Belgium, the UK, and Taiwan.
Deep Genomics
Company Headquarters: Ontario, Canada Founded: 2015 Workforce: ~200 Company Working: Deep Genomics is a biotechnology company that builds proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI) and uses it to discover new ways to correct the effects of genetic mutations and develop personalized therapies for individuals with rare Mendelian and complex diseases. It offers cell and molecular biology, clinical development, molecular genetics, organic chemistry, preclinical development, and other solutions. The company's AI platform generates billions of data points using throughput assays and sophisticated robotics systems and creates dozens of engineered and validated machine learning systems to support drug development. This allows researchers to categorize, rank, interpret, and link genetic variants, whether they are therapeutic or natural. Furthermore, Deep Genomics serves customers in Canada.
Atomwise Inc.
Company Headquarters: California, US Founded: 2012 Workforce: ~ 63 Company Working: Atomwise Inc. (Atomwise) a creative pharmaceutical company, is revolutionizing the search for small-molecule drugs by utilizing AI. The platform for AI-based, structure-based drug development is offered by Atomwise. Deep learning neural networks are used by Atomwise to find new medications. The company achieved the highest outcomes in the world for toxicity detection, binding affinity prediction, and the development of novel pharmacological hits. With three lead-optimization efforts and more than 30 discovery programs, Atomwise is building a wholly owned pipeline of small-molecule pharmaceutical prospects. Additionally, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (US) awarded the company a 2.3 USD million grant in 2020 to support the creation of numerous global health initiatives that will advance cutting-edge antimalarial and anti-tuberculosis small molecule therapies in conjunction with the foundation's extensive network. In addition, Atomwise predicts drug candidates for pharmaceutical companies, start-ups, and research institutions. It is currently using computational drug design to design drugs against COVID-19. The company operates in California US.
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AI In Drug Discovery Market