Roche Unveils Plan for Autonomous AI Labs to Speed Drug Discovery

Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) announced on Sept. 28, 2026, plans to build autonomous AI-driven laboratories aimed at accelerating research and development and improving drug discovery, the Swiss pharmaceutical company said Monday. The initiative is intended to shorten development timelines by automating experimental workflows and integrating artificial intelligence into early-stage research. Roche did not disclose financial terms, investment figures or a timeline for the labs' deployment. The move reflects a broader push among large drugmakers to apply AI across discovery pipelines to cut costs and reduce failure rates in clinical development. Shares of Roche trade on US markets under the ticker RHHBY.