Professional identity formation in pharmacy in the era of artificial intelligence

Abstract

Background: Professional identity formation (PIF)—the developmental process through which practitioners come to think, act, and feel as pharmacists has historically been shaped by experiential learning, participation in communities of practice, and socialisation in professional culture. The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in educational, clinical and operational pharmacy settings represents a system-level disruption to these established pathways. However, there is limited guidance on how to navigate this transition intentionally and constructively. This white paper aims to examine and synthesise current evidence on how AI is transforming core pharmacy roles and competencies; identify challenges to traditional PIF pathways arising from AI adoption; and propose actionable, globally relevant recommendations for educators, regulators, employers, and individual practitioners.