The Role of AI in Drug Discovery in Africa

Abstract The proliferation of artificial intelligence presents Africa's drug discovery landscape with a transformative opportunity to accelerate research and development (R&D) to address the continent's heavy disease burden. The integration of AI in drug discovery processes will help researchers by streamlining research pipelines and improving the design of clinical trials so that historically underserved populations can access cost-effective medication tailored to their needs. While challenges include AI skepticism, scarcity of data, and concerns about job losses, sustained advocacy and capacity-building can help to allay these concerns and facilitate widespread buy-in and adoption of AI tools across the continent. At a time of diminished funding for R&D globally, AI-assisted drug discovery-with its potential to alter fundamentally the pace and cost of R&D-should help Africa move toward a sustainable and innovative pharmaceutical paradigm led by Africans, out of Africa, for the global community.