Merck and Mastercard are seeing real agentic AI results. Both say the plumbing came first.

Merck achieved a 33% reduction in drug discovery cycles and a 80% speedup in compliant marketing material shipping using AI agents, crediting the success to building a robust infrastructure first. The company's VP of Digital Platforms, Sean Finnerty, emphasizes the importance of laying the groundwork before deploying AI solutions. This highlights the need for a solid foundation in AI infrastructure to unlock its full potential. The results demonstrate the potential for AI to transform traditional industries such as pharmaceuticals, but also underscore the challenges of integrating these technologies.

⚡ Key Takeaways

• 33% reduction in drug discovery cycles
• Building a robust infrastructure is crucial for successful AI adoption
• 80% speedup in shipping compliant marketing materials
• The importance of laying the groundwork before deploying AI solutions
• Pharmaceutical companies can benefit from AI in transforming traditional processes
• WhyItMatters: This success story highlights the potential for AI to drive innovation in traditional industries and underscores the need for companies to invest in building a solid AI infrastructure to unlock its full potential.
• TechnicalLevel: Intermediate
• TargetAudience: Enterprise AI Adoption
• PracticalSteps:
• Assess the current state of your organization's AI infrastructure
• Develop a comprehensive plan to build and deploy a robust AI foundation
• Prioritize infrastructure development before deploying AI solutions
• ToolsMentioned: None
• Tags: ENTERPRISE, DEPLOYMENT

This success story highlights the potential for AI to drive innovation in traditional industries and underscores the need for companies to invest in building a solid AI infrastructure to unlock its full potential.

✅ Practical Steps

1. Assess the current state of your organization's AI infrastructure
2. Develop a comprehensive plan to build and deploy a robust AI foundation
3. Prioritize infrastructure development before deploying AI solutions

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