Highlights from Elevio Group’s session at EPA Congress 2026 in Amsterdam, with Jessica Weddle (Co-Founder and Partner) and Anna Léandri (Associate Partner)
AI is no longer a side conversation for Market Access. In 2026, we increasingly see teams move beyond one-off pilots into workflows where AI supports the development of core Market Access and Pricing deliverables without losing the human judgement that makes evidence and value propositions credible and reliable.
At EPA Congress, Jessica Weddle and Anna Léandri shared patterns we observe in real life: the different mindsets organizations bring to AI, the reasons programs stall, and the ongoing journey from chatbots to specialized tools, agents and, eventually, workflow orchestration.
A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR AI ACCELERATION
Market Access is evolving in an increasingly complex environment, shaped by fast-changing policies and the uncertainties around MFN execution, accelerating R&D powered by AI, growing competition, including from a burgeoning Chinese biotech ecosystem, growing requirements in Europe with the Joint Clinical Assessments, and the rise of multi-indication assets. In this context, large pharmaceutical companies expect Market Access to capture the value of science and provide greater guidance on where that value is and specifically identify which clinical development choices will maximize value. In the end, the function is being asked to "do more with less,” and AI becomes a critical factor in enhancing efficiency and delivering that expectation.
Over the past months, we have observed and supported some of our clients on their AI journeys. We have seen them adopt different approaches and face different issues.
WHICH 2026 AI CHARACTER ARE YOU?
There is no single AI approach that fits every Market Access organization. The best approach depends on where the Market Access function is starting from, the level of digital and data readiness, how much change the team can absorb, and the organization’s transformation profile and appetite. In discussions with Market Access leaders, we observe four recurring mindsets. None is “right” or“wrong.”
The Big-Bang Transformer aims to launch a comprehensive Market Access AI program now, covering many usecases. This can create momentum and visibility, but the risk is that ambition expands faster than governance, the ability to develop and scale, and actual adoption by teams.
The ROI-Oriented executes focused AI initiatives, supported by a clear business case. Very often, Global Value Dossier development is the preferred first use case, as it is perceived as burdensome and requires heavy content generation at both global and local levels.
The Careful Experimenter prefers to test, learn and scale AI solutions, often starting with one or two low-risk use cases. This is typically a strong way to build trust. However, as AI applications and technologies are evolving very fast, this approach can also create the feeling that the company is missing the AI train.
The Pragmatic Optimizer minimizes internal build effort, pilots external AI solutions, and switches from one solution to another as the options mature and become available, aiming to speed up early experimentation.
Whatever the character, we notice many adoption issues. Great products are developed in-house or bought externally, but still do not lead to significant usage and struggle to translate into actual savings or other types of impact (i.e., standardization, quality of deliverables, better access outcomes...).
WHY AI ADOPTION STALLS IN MARKET ACCESS
When adoption is low and programs struggle, it is rarely because the AI tool cannot write a good first draft of a Market Access deliverable. Three typical blockers show up repeatedly:
+ There is often a lack of vision and clarity about what the organization wants to achieve: no shared vision, and no clear direction on how the day-to-day activities of Market Access professionals should be impacted by AI in the future.
+ There is a “translation gap” between actual Market Access needs and what can be built or bought from internal developers or external partners, and tools are designed without enough exposure to real-world workflows.
+ Change management is under-designed. If end users do not see a concrete “what’s in it for me,” if they do not develop the new skills required to work with AI, or if they are not clearly told that AI adoption is a critical expectation, engagement stays low and AI tools become optional.
The third point is especially critical. The most successful AI transformation offices tend to design a strong change management roadmap with clear direction on how the function, the day-to-day job, and the required skills of Market Access professionals will evolve. This must go beyond training and communication, including a rethink of Market Access job descriptions and of the profiles and skills that will win in this new environment.
FROM CHATBOT TO AGENTS AND END-TO-END ORCHESTRATION
The AI Market Access journey happens in three time horizons, reflecting the evolution of AI technologies and the availability of Market Access tools and solutions.
Yesterday (2025) was the chatbot era: fast, accessible generic tools able to summarize documents or draft sections of adeliverable, with an approximate level of rigor relative to the standards the function is held to (for example, “Summarize this HTA assessment for me” ).
Today (2026) is about specialized Market Access tools and solutions that are more embedded in the work and better adapted to Market Access requirements in terms of sources, quality and rigor. This includes end-to-end support for Global Value Dossier development andlocalization, AI-powered SLR solutions, and overviews and summaries of past HTA decisions.
Tomorrow (2027?) is about AI agents orchestration: specialized AI agents execute tasks, access sources, and follow checkpoints across a workflow, producing decision-ready options while keeping humans accountable for final decisions. In practical terms, it looks like having specialized resources working in the background, bringing you options you can review and decide on. Imagine a set of agents working for you day and night, such as an “Evidence Scout,” able to tell you whether the missing piece is comparator evidence, a subgroup cut, longer-term outcomes, an external control, or a country-specific proof point likely to matter for HTA, or a “Value Story Architect,” able to structure a value story that links endpoints, unmet need, system impact and economic value, while checking that each claim is documented and defensible against likely payer objections. Quality criteria, references, and human review points are built into the workflow, so that speed does not come at the expense of credibility. Market Access professionals steer these AI tools, and remain firmly in control.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MARKET ACCESS CAPABILITIES AND SKILLS?
Historically, Market Access has been perceived as a highly technical function, where deep knowledge of healthcare systems and of payer rules, behaviors and expectations has been highly valued by other functions within the organization.
Tomorrow, this knowledge, expertise and technicality will increasingly be embedded in AI tools and agents. This will require Market Access professionals to develop a different type of skill set. The differentiator will not only be the ability to use AI tools, but also the ability to challenge them: to spot weak comparators, fragile evidence links, over-optimistic extrapolations, or value messages that sound compelling but would not survive HTA scrutiny. In addition, they will need to become more strategically minded, focusing on the implications for an asset and for the clinical development plan. Finally, they will need to be able to represent and carry this strategic payer perspective, to be the payer champion within the organization, which means stronger leadership skills than purely expert, technical skills.
About Elevio Group
Elevio Group is a strategy and market access consulting firm powered by human and artificial intelligence.
We also support our clients in evolving their Market Access organizations, from operating model redesign to capability building and the digital / AI transformation of workflows, tools and decision-making. If you would like to discuss what AI could unlock for your Market Access function, from an opportunity scan to an MVP pilot or a broader transformation and change management program, please reach out!
