Pharma Sessions

In this episode of Pharma Sessions, host Jonathan Kaskey is joined by Jeremy Zhang, Senior Director and Head of Data Science Solutions at Otsuka, to discuss why AI initiatives succeed or fail in pharma and why it has almost nothing to do with the technology itself.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why business alignment beats technology performance
• How to avoid the vendor demo trap
• The mandatory change management framework for GenAI
• Why incremental gains beat transformational claims
• How to build trustworthy AI in a regulated environment
  
  

Jeremy Zhang is the Senior Director and Head of Data Science Solutions at Otsuka, where  he leads enterprise-wide AI and advanced analytics initiatives across R&D, clinical development, and corporate functions, helping translate complex data science into practical, decision-driving value. With prior experience at Gilead Sciences scaling AI for clinical trial optimization and real-world data integration, Jeremy brings a grounded, pragmatic perspective on what it really takes to move AI from hype to impact in pharma.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:00] Introduction
• [01:40] The #1 Reason AI Rollouts Fail
• [02:56] How Jeremy Got Into Data Science
• [05:10] Why AI Fails When It’s Treated Like Software
• [07:02] Content Generation Pitfall
• [08:48] Why Pharma AI Fails in the Real World and How to Fix It
• [12:40] Balancing Executive Pressure for Value with Real-World Limitations
• [15:37] What Success Looks Like
• [18:09] Mandatory Roles for GenAI in Clinical
• [20:26] Why Real Change Comes From Stacked 10-50% Wins
• [23:59] The Trust Gap After ChatGPT
• [28:19] Regaining Trust with Boundaries
• [29:36] Jeremy’s Career Advice

Episode Resources:

• Jeremy Zhang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-zhang-b1256233/ 
• Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies (U.S.) Website: https://www.otsuka-us.com/ 
• Jonathan Kaskey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonkaskey/ 
• XSUNT Corporation Website: http://www.xsunt.com/ 

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