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ARTICLE · 26 OCTOBER 2026

Where Does The Real IP Value Lie In AI-Enabled Life Sciences?

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As AI becomes embedded in life sciences R&D, companies face a critical strategic question: where does the real intellectual property value lie in their AI-enabled technologies? The answer increasingly points beyond the AI model itself to the complete technology architecture—encompassing data provenance, workflow integration, and the technical interfaces between software, biology, and physical processes.

SwitzerlandIntellectual Property
Janine Swarbrick
Janine Swarbrick
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After attending the BioTechX conference in Basel last week, talking to people working across pharma, biotech, AI, software, laboratory automation and data management, my main takeaway was clear: the conversation has moved on from whether AI has a role in life sciences. The focus is now on how AI should be embedded in research and development, how its outputs can be trusted and where it creates a sustainable competitive advantage.

For companies developing AI-enabled technologies, this changes the IP question. It is no longer enough to ask whether an algorithm or model is patentable. The more useful question is where the real value lies across the whole technology architecture—and how that value should be protected and commercialised.

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