In the high-stakes world of pharmaceuticals, where decisions can shape billion-dollar pipelines and patient outcomes, Eli Lilly & Co.’s chief executive is turning to artificial intelligence as an indispensable advisor. David Ricks, the CEO of the Indianapolis-based drug giant, revealed in a recent interview that he keeps ‘at least one or two AIs running’ during every meeting he’s in. This practice underscores a broader shift at Lilly, where AI is not just a tool but a core component of strategic operations.

Ricks, speaking on the podcast ‘Guinness and Ideas’ hosted by Guinness Ventures, elaborated on his preference for specific AI models. He favors xAI’s Grok and Anthropic’s Claude over OpenAI’s ChatGPT, particularly for science-related queries. ‘I use either Claude or xAI. I find it more terse. The references actually check out more often,’ Ricks said, as reported by Business Insider. This choice reflects Lilly’s data-driven culture, where accuracy in scientific discussions is paramount.

AI as a Meeting Staple

The integration of AI into daily executive routines at Lilly signals a transformative approach to corporate decision-making. Ricks described how he uses these tools to query complex scientific questions in real time, ensuring discussions are grounded in the latest insights. This isn’t mere novelty; it’s a response to the accelerating pace of innovation in biotech, where Lilly has seen its market value soar to nearly $1 trillion, fueled by blockbuster drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Recent partnerships amplify this commitment. In October 2025, Lilly teamed up with Nvidia Corp. to build what they claim is the pharmaceutical industry’s most powerful AI supercomputer. Powered by Nvidia’s chips and running on 100% renewable energy, this system aims to accelerate drug discovery, as detailed in announcements from Stat News and Lilly’s investor relations site.

Supercomputing for Drug Innovation

The Nvidia collaboration isn’t Lilly’s first foray into AI. Earlier in September 2025, the company launched an AI-powered platform to share drug discovery models with biotech partners, trained on decades of Lilly’s research data, according to Reuters. This move democratizes access to advanced AI, potentially speeding up the development of new therapies.

Industry observers note that Lilly’s AI push extends to manufacturing and medical imaging. The supercomputer will support enterprise AI agents, optimizing everything from molecule validation to supply chain logistics. As Eli Lilly’s investor site states, these capabilities are designed to ‘supercharge medicine discovery and delivery for patients.’

Executive Leadership in the AI Era

Lilly’s leadership team is evolving alongside these technological advancements. In November 2025, the company announced two new executive committee members and expanded roles, preparing for what it calls the ‘next wave of growth,’ per its investor relations update. This restructuring aligns with Ricks’ vision of AI as a daily enhancer of human expertise.

On social media platform X, reactions to Ricks’ AI habits have been swift and positive. Posts highlight how his use of Grok and Claude in meetings exemplifies forward-thinking corporate strategy, with one user noting, ‘When the CEO of Eli Lilly is running LLM queries mid-meeting, you know the future boardroom language is AI,’ as found on X. Elon Musk himself commented that it’s ‘cool’ Ricks uses Grok as a daily advisor, according to Stocktwits.

Sentiment from Tech and Pharma Circles

Broader industry sentiment on X echoes optimism about AI’s role in pharma. Discussions reference Larry Ellison of Oracle praising AI’s problem-solving prowess, and Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman predicting models with persistent memory by end-2025. These posts, sourced from X, underscore a consensus that AI will revolutionize sectors like drug discovery.

Lilly’s latest AI deal, a $100 million-plus research pact with Insilico Medicine announced in November 2025, leverages generative AI for new drug targets. As reported by Fierce Biotech and BioSpace, this collaboration combines Insilico’s Pharma.AI platforms with Lilly’s expertise.

Challenges in AI-Driven Biology

Despite the enthusiasm, challenges remain. Ricks acknowledged in his podcast that AI models are limited by existing biological data, which covers only about 15% of human biology. ‘We only know about 15% of human biology, so that’s all the data we’re working with,’ he said, as quoted in posts on X. This highlights the need for more clinical data and experimentation to fuel AI advancements.

Critics and insiders alike point to data quality issues. One X post emphasized, ‘Right now everything it could take in is disjointed, unvalidated, unusually not reproducible, and non-standardized… As they say – garbage in, garbage out.’ Lilly’s initiatives, including the Nvidia supercomputer, aim to address these gaps by generating robust datasets.

Market Impact and Future Prospects

Lilly’s stock has reflected this AI optimism, with shares trading robustly as of November 2025, per Robinhood. The company’s valuation nearing $1 trillion, as discussed in Stat News, is partly attributed to its innovative edge.

Looking ahead, Ricks’ AI integration could set a precedent for other CEOs. As AI evolves—with predictions of AGI-like capabilities by 2025 from figures like Sam Altman, as seen in X posts—the pharma industry may see accelerated innovation, potentially leading to breakthroughs in treatments for diseases like obesity, diabetes, and beyond.

Beyond Meetings: AI’s Broader Integration

Lilly’s AI strategy extends to pain management and other therapeutic areas. A November 2025 article in Pain News Network details how the Nvidia partnership will expedite drug development, including for chronic pain solutions.

In a Medium post recapping the Nvidia deal, it’s described as a ‘landmark’ effort to build the world’s most powerful AI supercomputer for drug discovery, emphasizing its potential to transform medicine, as per Medium.

Industry-Wide Ripple Effects

The ripple effects of Lilly’s approach are evident in executive sentiments. Oracle’s Larry Ellison has lauded AI’s deductive capabilities, solving problems faster than humans, in X posts. Similarly, scientists at Lilly have been ‘surprised by the novelty of AI-driven pharma design,’ as noted in earlier X discussions.

As AI becomes ubiquitous in boardrooms, questions arise about ethics and over-reliance. Yet, for now, Ricks’ method—blending human intuition with AI precision—positions Lilly at the forefront of a tech-pharma convergence that promises to redefine industry standards.