APPLICATIONS OF DATA ANALYSIS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AGENTS IN NOVEL DRUG DISCOVERY: A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The traditional drug discovery and development process is historically characterized by high attrition rates, escalating financial costs, and decade-long timelines. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has transformed this paradigm by enabling efficient navigation through vast chemical spaces and the integration of complex multi-omic datasets. This evidence-based literature review critically examines the evolution and application of computational technologies across the pharmaceutical pipeline, ranging from early expert systems like DENDRAL, computer-aided drug design (CADD), and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling to AlphaFold 3 biomolecular complex predictions, computer-assisted synthesis planning (CASP), natural product bioprospecting, and autonomous multi-agent systems. Key advancements in antimicrobial screening, precision oncology, phytochemical characterization, and clinical-stage AI-generated molecules are highlighted. Finally, the translational gap is addressed, emphasizing that AI functions as an advanced decision-support framework requiring rigorous in vitro and in vivo experimental validation, wherein qualified human mediation remains indispensable for therapeutic success.