Article · AI translation
Thanks to IT Home reader SoftMedia user 1053564 for the tip!
IT Home reported on November 14 that Eli Lilly Chairman and CEO Dave Ricks posted on X on November 12 in response to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s prediction that “AI will conquer diseases such as cancer in less than a decade.” Ricks called the vision “appealing” but said it was unlikely to come true.
IT Home previously reported that, in a roadshow video for investors, Amodei said cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and mental illness could become “things of the past” in less than a decade. This optimistic assessment of AI’s prospects in medicine has drawn skepticism from people in the pharmaceutical industry.
Ricks wrote in his post: “If this vision were to come true, it would be appealing, but I don’t think it is very likely to happen.” He said there are still vast gaps in humanity’s understanding of biology, while obtaining reliable evidence through randomized human trials remains a key bottleneck determining the pace of research and development.
Ricks also said he was excited about AI’s applications in the pharmaceutical industry, but expected progress to be more likely “steady and incremental.” In other words, finding drug candidates faster does not mean it will be possible to prove just as quickly that they are safe and effective for patients; discoveries in the laboratory must still go through the necessary validation before they can actually be used in treatment.
Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, Eli Lilly sells products in about 90 countries and operates in areas including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, oncology, immunology and neuroscience. Eli Lilly is one of the world’s most influential innovative pharmaceutical companies and a major player in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Its standing comes not only from its size, but also from its long experience turning medical discoveries into medicines, completing clinical validation and bringing them to global markets.