Merck, Mastercard see AI agent results; infrastructure key

Merck and Mastercard are achieving significant results with AI agents, but emphasize that robust underlying infrastructure was crucial for success. Merck has accelerated drug discovery cycles by a third and sped up compliant marketing material delivery by up to 80%, attributing this to foundational digital platforms. Similarly, Mastercard is exploring AI agents for complex transaction and dispute workflows. Both companies highlight the necessity of building scalable, secure, and well-integrated systems to manage numerous AI agents effectively. Challenges like AI hallucinations are being addressed through guardrails and multi-stage AI verification, underscoring the importance of careful implementation and risk assessment.