Pharma companies are spending billions on AI and automation, yet most projects remain trapped in "pilot purgatory". Why is digital transformation so difficult to scale on the manufacturing floor?

In this episode of Game of Pharma, host Lokesh Sharma sits down with Jonathon Thompson, Global Director of the Digital Center of Excellence at CAI. Drawing from a 25-year career arc,starting as a bench chemist on Eli Lilly's insulin line in 1999 to leading global automation strategies at Baxter, Avivia, and CAI—Jonathon reveals what it actually takes to move beyond AI hype into scalable operational value.

Key Topics Covered:

• From Bench Chemist to IT Leader: The LIMS & EBR Transition

• Why Pharma Under-Invests in Manufacturing AI vs. R&D

• Root Causes of "Pilot Purgatory" & How to Break Free

• Boardroom Expectations vs. Plant-Floor Operational Reality

• Big Pharma Tech Debt vs. Agile Biotech Startups

• The Hidden AI Opportunity in Tech Transfer & Scale-Up

• Micro-AI Solutions vs. Big-Bang Software Implementations

• Build, Buy, or Partner? Navigating AI Vendor Selection

• AI Founder vs. Pharma Founder Startup Models

Connect with Guest & Host:

Jonathon Thompson (CAI)

 / jonathon-thompson-1052906  

Lokesh Sharma (Game of Pharma)

 / lokesh-sharma-7250a71a9