Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already reshaping elements of healthcare, with practical applications emerging across clinical settings. In General Practice, for example, AI-enabled ambient listening tools are beginning to support consultations by automatically generating clinical notes and improving the accuracy of records. Similar technologies are being trialled internationally to assist with coding, reporting, and reducing administrative workload for clinicians. In community pharmacy, the direct patient-facing use of AI is not yet established, but its influence is increasingly visible in areas that underpin pharmaceutical care. Internationally, AI is being used to optimise medicine supply chains, support inventory management, strengthen pharmacovigilance, and assist with research and data analysis — all of which can indirectly enhance patient care by improving safety, availability, and workflow efficiency. Across Europe and globally, AI systems are helping to automate administrative processes, forecast potential shortages, support adherence monitoring, and streamline communication. These developments show the potential of AI to support pharmacists in delivering safer, more efficient, and more personalised care. However, it remains essential that AI complements — never replaces — professional expertise. Pharmacists’ judgment, contextual understanding, and clinical accountability cannot be substituted by algorithms. Any technology introduced into pharmacy must enhance the pharmacist–patient relationship, support decision-making, and strengthen the quality of pharmaceutical care, rather than distance pharmacists from the patients they serve.  

Global guidance and professional standards

Internationally, there is strong professional consensus about how AI should be introduced into pharmacy. Both the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) have developed clear positions and practical frameworks to guide safe, ethical, and effective implementation. The FIP AI Toolkit for Pharmacy, launched earlier this year, provides pharmacists with a structured roadmap for integrating AI into daily practice. It sets out how to assess readiness, manage data responsibly, implement new systems safely, and maintain human oversight. The toolkit also addresses issues such as variability in clinical guidelines, data privacy, and the need for continuing professional development. Crucially, it reinforces the idea that AI should always serve to support clinical practice — never to act independently of it. Similarly, the PGEU Position Paper on AI outlines seven key enablers for responsible use. These include clear regulation, defined oversight roles for national authorities, strong ethical and data-protection standards, public education to build trust, interoperability between systems, and ongoing training for pharmacy professionals. The common message is consistent: AI must strengthen the pharmacist–patient relationship, not replace it.

The Irish context: Challenges and opportunities

In Ireland, AI use in community pharmacy is still in its early stages. While other countries — such as Denmark, the Netherlands, and Finland — are piloting AI tools for clinical support and workflow optimisation, they have been able to do so because of strong digital foundations: national ePrescribing systems, shared care records, and consistent data structures that make safe integration possible. In Ireland, the essential digital foundations for safe AI use in healthcare are still being put in place. Important progress is underway through Digital for Care 2030, the rollout of the Individual Health Identifier (IHI), and the development of Shared Care Records. These national building blocks are crucial. Without a consistent way to identify patients, a shared view of clinical information, and modern digital infrastructure, AI systems cannot operate safely or effectively. Establishing these foundations is what will ultimately allow AI to function within a secure, connected, and standards-based health environment. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence, established earlier this year, also marks an important step forward. Its focus on governance, ethics, and safety provides an opportunity to ensure that any AI use in healthcare remains professionally accountable and patient-centred. A clear, nationally governed framework — supported by professional input — will be critical to achieving this.  

Supporting patient care

AI offers tangible opportunities to improve patient care. By automating routine processes such as stock control or claims management, pharmacists can devote more time to patient interaction, counselling, and clinical interventions. AI systems can provide real-time clinical decision support, flag potential interactions, and identify patients at risk of non-adherence. Predictive analytics can help anticipate medicine shortages and target preventive care initiatives, such as vaccination campaigns, more effectively.

Used appropriately, these technologies create capacity for pharmacists to spend more time where it matters most — with patients.

They also support better communication by delivering clear, accessible, and multilingual health information. But crucially, the value of AI will always depend on the pharmacist’s expertise, empathy, and professional judgment.  

Investment and readiness

The development of AI in pharmacy will require sustained investment. At a national level, both Sláintecare and Digital for Care 2030 identify digital transformation as essential to modern, integrated healthcare. These programmes are already strengthening Ireland’s digital infrastructure — from cybersecurity and interoperability to shared care records — all of which are prerequisites for future AI use. Ireland also benefits from access to EU funding mechanisms such as the EU4Health Programme, Digital Europe Programme, and Horizon Europe, which support innovation in digital health, data governance, and workforce upskilling. Aligning community pharmacy projects with these priorities could open new funding pathways, particularly where initiatives advance interoperability and patient safety. Private and vendor investment will have a role in developing certified, standards-based AI solutions for the Irish market. However, any investment must clearly demonstrate public-health value and focus on enhancing care, not adding complexity or cost for pharmacies.  

Building the foundations first

Before moving too far ahead with AI, Ireland must focus on the fundamentals: data standards, interoperability, and governance. By establishing a consistent and connected digital health ecosystem, we can ensure that AI is introduced safely, ethically, and with full professional oversight. As national digital systems mature, community pharmacy will be well positioned to adopt AI that genuinely supports care — improving accuracy, efficiency, and patient outcomes. With strong foundations and a clear regulatory framework, Ireland can learn from international experience and build a model where innovation is matched by responsibility.

Conclusion

Artificial Intelligence offers real promise for community pharmacy, but its success will depend on trust, transparency, and professional accountability. Technology alone will not transform care; it must be implemented within a secure, standards-based, and pharmacist-led environment. AI should enable pharmacists to do more of what they do best — provide expert, accessible, and compassionate care for patients. By focusing first on safe infrastructure and ethical practice, Ireland can ensure that AI in pharmacy develops on a foundation that is both innovative and patient-centred.