This crash course introduces artificial intelligence (AI) within the context of pharmaceutical market research, emphasizing its strategic business applications rather than technical complexities. The text explains that AI is not about robots but rather about computers excelling at pattern recognition and prediction within data. It highlights how AI is transforming the pharmaceutical industry by enabling predictive insights, reducing operational costs, and accelerating drug discovery and market trend identification. Examples from Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, and Unilever illustrate AI's practical benefits, demonstrating its power to augment human expertise and shift decision-making from reactive to proactive. Ultimately, the source frames AI as a tool for amplifying human intelligence and gaining competitive advantage in the pharmaceutical sector, stressing its potential to identify emerging needs and trends months ahead of traditional methods.