Stepchenkova O.S. Assessment of Capabilities of AI Agents and Large Language Models for Pharmaceutical Market Monitoring

Olga  S.  Stepchenkova
Saint Petersburg State University of Economics, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

Abstract. The article is devoted to the urgent problem of using cognitive technologies, in particular artificial intelligence (AI), for monitoring and analyzing pharmaceutical markets. In the context of sanctions pressure and the need to reorient Russian non-energy exports, pharmaceuticals is considered one of the key high-tech industries. The author conducts a critical analysis of traditional methods of strategic marketing (SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces model, BCG matrix, and Uppsala model). The analysis showed that traditional methods retain their theoretical value but demonstrate fundamental limitations in the modern economy; in the context of digitalization, these methods require integration with cognitive technologies to increase their accuracy, objectivity, and efficiency. The study revealed the significant potential of cognitive technologies (AI agents, LLM) to transform the monitoring processes of pharmaceutical markets. Based on the conducted research, an innovative concept of international strategic marketing based on the use of a multi-agent system was developed. The paper presents the concept of a multi-agent system architecture, where each specialized agent is responsible for a specific stage of analysis, from the initial clustering of markets and assessment of the competitive environment to the construction of optimal expansion routes. Special attention is paid to the comparison of capabilities of LLM and AI agents, as well as the analysis of advantages and risks of implementing cognitive systems. It is concluded that the symbiosis of AI capabilities for data processing and human expert assessment for final decision-making is the most effective strategy when entering new pharmaceutical markets, taking into  account the risks  of a  lack  of real understanding of the situation by cognitive systems.
Key words: pharmaceutical market, artificial intelligence, AI agents, large language models, strategic marketing, market monitoring, cluster analysis, exports, multi-agent systems.
Citation. Stepchenkova O.S., 2026. Assessment of Capabilities of AI Agents and Large Language Models for Pharmaceutical Market Monitoring. Regionalnaya ekonomika. Yug Rossii [Regional Economy. South of Russia], vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 60-70. (in Russian). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15688/re.volsu.2026.1.6

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