Philip Morris International’s Moira Gilchrist Positions Human Judgment as a Critical Leadership Advantage Amid Rapid AI Adoption at Wall Street Journal Forum
Philip Morris International’s Moira Gilchrist Positions Human Judgment as a Critical Leadership Advantage Amid Rapid AI Adoption at Wall Street Journal Forum
Artificial intelligence is the ability of computers and machines to perform tasks that typically require human thinking, such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, or making decisions. For investors, it matters because AI can enhance efficiency, uncover new insights, and enable smarter strategies, potentially impacting the value and performance of companies that develop or utilize this technology.
cognitive atrophymedical
Cognitive atrophy is the gradual loss of thinking skills—memory, attention, problem-solving and decision-making—that can come from aging, disease, or lack of mental stimulation. Think of the brain like a muscle that weakens when not used or when damaged; shrinking or dysfunction reduces its ability to perform everyday mental tasks. For investors, cognitive atrophy matters because it drives demand for diagnostics, treatments, long‑term care, and workforce accommodations, and it affects healthcare costs, insurance risk and markets for related products and services.
attention erosionmedical
Attention erosion describes the gradual loss of people’s focus on a product, brand, or news as novelty wears off and competing information crowds in. Like a flashlight slowly dimming, it means marketing messages, product launches, or corporate announcements get smaller responses over time, reducing sales, engagement, or the market’s reaction to future news — important for investors because it can erode revenue growth and diminish the impact of communications that might otherwise move a stock.
cognitive dividemedical
A cognitive divide is a gap between groups in thinking skills, digital or health literacy, and access to information that affects how people understand choices and make decisions. For investors it matters because this gap shapes who buys or adopts products, how productive a workforce will be, and which services or regulations will be in demand—think of it as uneven maps for drivers that change traffic patterns for markets and companies.
pre-clinical systems toxicologymedical
Pre-clinical systems toxicology is the study of a drug or biological product’s potential harmful effects before any human testing, using a mix of laboratory experiments, animal data and computer models to look at how whole organs and body systems respond. For investors, it functions like a safety checklist and early warning system — good results reduce the chance of costly surprises, delays or regulatory setbacks, while problems can signal higher development risk and potential extra expense.
clinical and behavioral researchmedical
Clinical and behavioral research studies how medical treatments, diagnostic tests, and patient behaviors affect health outcomes in people, combining medical trials with observations of habits, mood, and decision-making. For investors, these studies act like road tests and customer surveys rolled into one: they show whether a drug, device, or program actually works and is likely to be adopted, which directly influences a product’s commercial prospects and regulatory approval risks.
post-market studiesmedical
Studies conducted after a medical product or device has been approved and is being sold, aimed at tracking real-world safety, effectiveness, and long-term performance. They matter to investors because their results can trigger regulatory actions, label changes, additional costs, or reputational effects—similar to ongoing vehicle safety checks that can lead to recalls or software updates and influence a company’s future sales and legal exposure.
modified risk tobacco productregulatory
A modified risk tobacco product is a tobacco or nicotine product that is marketed with claims it reduces health risks or exposure to harmful substances compared with other tobacco products; such claims are typically subject to regulatory review and approval. For investors, this matters because approved modified-risk status can change consumer demand, legal exposure, labeling requirements and market access—similar to how a government-backed “low-risk” label can alter a product’s sales and liability profile.
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PMI’s Chief Global Communications Officer says companies that safeguard human judgment will gain a competitive edge as AI automates routine knowledge work
STAMFORD, CT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Philip Morris International’s (PMI) (NYSE:PM) Chief Global Communications Officer, Moira Gilchrist, joined global thought leaders at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything conference in New York to examine why human cognition—judgment, context, creativity, and ethical reasoning—is becoming the most valuable asset in an age of artificial intelligence.
“The AI boom is putting a premium on distinctly human capabilities,” said Gilchrist, who took part in the session “Cognition: The New Currency – Why Human Judgment Matters More Than Ever.” Speaking to attendees, she emphasized that, “As knowledge is getting democratized, human judgment, intuition, and creativity become the true differentiators that leaders need to nurture across all levels of their organizations.”
Philip Morris International is today a different company, built with a singular objective: achieving a smoke-free future. It has evolved its product portfolio, reskilled its workforce, and adopted new ways of working to expand access to better alternatives for legal-age adults who would otherwise continue to smoke. This underscores an increasingly important reality for PMI and for companies more broadly: in a world where AI automates routine knowledge work, long-term resilience and competitive advantage will depend not only on science and technology, but also on distinctly human capabilities—judgment, intuition, and adaptability.
The discussion at the Future of Everything conference further explored how AI is reshaping work and leadership—and why organizations that intentionally protect and encourage human judgment will be best positioned for long-term resilience. Earlier this year in Davos, Philip Morris International called for global dialogue following the release of its white paper, Human Cognition: The Next Frontier?, which argues that cognition should be treated as a scarce and strategic resource as AI automates routine knowledge work.
Gilchrist outlined a set of accelerating cognitive risks—cognitive atrophy, attention erosion, the cognitive divide, and trust challenges—that will determine whether society harnesses AI as a force for progress or becomes overwhelmed by it. She emphasized the risk of a growing cognitive divide between those whose roles cultivate judgment and those increasingly exposed to automation. As AI accelerates, Philip Morris International continues to advocate for leadership models that keep human judgment at the center of trust, ethics, and long-term value creation.
Philip Morris International: A Global Smoke-Free Champion
Philip Morris International is a leading international consumer goods company, actively delivering a smoke-free future and evolving its portfolio for the long term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company’s current product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, nicotine pouch and e-vapor products. Our smoke-free products are available for sale in over 105 markets, and as of December 31, 2025, PMI estimates they were used by over 43 million legal-age consumers around the world, many of whom have moved away from cigarettes or significantly reduced their consumption. The smoke-free business accounted for 43% of PMI’s first-quarter 2026 total net revenues. Since 2008, PMI has invested over $16 billion to develop, scientifically substantiate and commercialize innovative smoke-free products for adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, with the goal of completely ending the sale of cigarettes. This includes the building of world-class scientific assessment capabilities, notably in the areas of pre-clinical systems toxicology, clinical and behavioral research, as well as post-market studies. Following a robust science-based review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the marketing of Swedish Match’s General snus and ZYN nicotine pouches and versions of PMI’s IQOS devices and consumables - the first-ever such authorizations in their respective categories. Versions of IQOS devices and consumables and General snus also obtained the first-ever Modified Risk Tobacco Product authorizations from the FDA. With a strong foundation and significant expertise in life sciences, PMI has a long-term ambition to expand into wellness areas. References to “PMI”, “we”, “our” and “us” mean Philip Morris International Inc., and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.pmi.com and www.pmiscience.com.
