AI is coming for pharmacy. Or at least, that’s what the headlines want us to believe. “AI Passes Medical Board Exam.” “Robots Taking Over Healthcare Jobs.” These stories make it sound like pharmacists are one step away from being replaced. But the truth? AI is missing something huge. And if you’ve been following the conversations in pharmacy lately, you’ve probably felt that creeping fear. What if all the training, the education, the years of experience—what if it’s all at risk of being automated?

Let’s be real: innovation replaces old jobs. We don’t have blacksmiths on every corner anymore, and I’m personally grateful I don’t have to ride a horse to work. AI will absolutely change pharmacy, but it won’t replace pharmacists. Because while AI can do a lot, it can’t do everything.

AI is incredible at handling data. It can predict drug shortages, flag drug interactions, and optimize inventory. Imagine a pharmacy where prior authorizations, insurance claims, and medication adherence tracking are all streamlined with AI assistance. That’s not a distant future—it’s happening right now. AI is even being used to identify high-risk patients before they develop serious health problems. Half of all patients don’t take their medications correctly. What if AI could flag those who are most at risk and help pharmacists intervene before it’s too late? That alone could have a massive impact on public health.

But here’s the reality: AI can’t provide human connection. It can’t counsel a patient newly diagnosed with cancer. It can’t sit down with an overwhelmed parent and explain how to manage their child’s asthma. It can’t navigate complex clinical decisions that require professional judgment and ethical reasoning. AI can crunch numbers, but it can’t build trust. And trust is what makes pharmacists irreplaceable.

There’s a reason pharmacy has shifted so much over the past two decades. Twenty years ago, most vaccines were given in primary care clinics. Today, more than 75% of immunizations happen in pharmacies. That’s not because AI took over—it’s because pharmacy has adapted to meet patient needs. And as healthcare moves toward greater convenience and accessibility, pharmacists are becoming more essential, not less.

AI isn’t here to replace us. It’s here to remove the time-sucking tasks that keep us from doing what we were trained to do: care for patients. If AI can handle routine administrative work, we can focus on building stronger relationships with patients, expanding clinical services, and working alongside healthcare providers to make real clinical decisions. The pharmacists who will thrive in the AI era are the ones who embrace it—not the ones who fear it.

So, what’s the move? Don’t ignore AI. Learn how to use it. Leverage it to make your practice more efficient. And most importantly, focus on the skills that make you irreplaceable: communication, clinical judgment, and patient advocacy.

The future of pharmacy isn’t about AI taking over. It’s about pharmacists using AI to become better, more effective healthcare providers. And honestly? I’m excited for that future. What do you think?