## What do we mean? The pharmaceutical compliance world seems to be having a different conversation about AI. The prevailing concerns: accountability can't be automated, context matters, human judgment is irreplaceable. Fair points, but they sidestep the question of what AI might actually be asked to do. AI comes in various shapes and forms, and it pays to be specific about what we mean when we say "using AI." ## What's Actually Being Built Current AI compliance tools check references, flag formatting errors, and ensure regulatory symbols appear correctly. These aren't creative work, it's systematic verification that people perform inconsistently under deadline pressure and across large orgs. When technology handles routine checks, compliance professionals can focus on complex decisions: navigating regulatory gray areas, balancing stakeholder needs, and making judgment calls that require deep industry knowledge. ## Skills Don't Disappear, They Evolve Critics worry about eroding expertise, but I see skill evolution. When spreadsheets replaced ledger books, accountants evolved from data entry to financial analysis. When legal databases replaced library searches, work shifted from information gathering to strategic counsel. For decades, technology automated manual work. Now we're automating knowledge work. AI becomes the great equalizer - leveling the playing field for those who can wield it effectively. When routine expertise can be codified, barriers to entry drop. ## The Real Conversation We should be discussing how skills evolve when routine knowledge work gets automated. How do we prepare people for work that's more strategic and judgment-intensive? What does career progression look like in a world where individual skills are multiplied by AI tools? Industries needs to work with companies creating the next generation of compliance tools. They will shape what compliance processes look like for the next 10 years. The debate isn't whether this change will happen, it's whether we'll help guide it thoughtfully. Pharmaceutical compliance isn't human versus machine, it's humans and machines working on their respective strengths. Tags: #AI #Skills