Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in healthcare settings around the world to improve safety, efficiency, and patient care. Currently pharmacies in other countries are using AI technologies in dispensing automation, medication safety checks and improving pharmacy workflow and administrative efficiency. The use of AI technology in pharmacies in New Zealand is still in the very early stages compared with other countries.
How can AI be used in pharmacies?
AI can Automate Prescription Filling & Dispensing
Some pharmacies have begun using AI-assisted robotic dispensing systems to store and dispense medicines. AI reads prescription data, robots then select, count, and package medications. Barcode or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) verification ensures the correct drug and dose is selected. In 2026, a pharmacy in Taupō installed an AI dispensing robot that automatically selects and prepares medicines.1
Automating the filling and dispensing of prescriptions results in faster prescription filling, fewer medication dispensing errors, better stock management and pharmacists are able to spend more time with patients. These systems improve accuracy, speed, and inventory management, while reducing the manual workload for pharmacists.
Large pharmacy chains overseas are using centralised robotic hubs to process tens of thousands of prescriptions per day, reducing both dispensing errors and waiting times for patients.
AI can detect drug interactions & undertake safety checks
One of the strongest cases for using AI technology in pharmacy is to reduce medication errors which are a significant issue in NZ healthcare.
AI can check a patient’s medication history faster than humans, detect contraindications, detect drug interactions, identify duplicate therapies, detect unnecessary medicines or incorrect dosing and suggest safer alternatives. This significantly improves patient safety by ensuring prescriptions are accurate and compatible with a patient’s medical history.
AI is used in Chatbots & Virtual Pharmacists
Many online pharmacies now use AI assistants to help patients by:
- answering medication questions
- providing dosage instructions for medicines
- suggesting over-the-counter (OTC) medicines
- reminding patients to collect prescriptions or order repeats.2
These systems can operate 24/7, reducing workload for pharmacy staff and improving patient adherence to medication schedules.
AI can manage pharmacy stock and forecast demand
AI manages pharmacy inventory by forecasting medication demand, automatically reordering stock and reducing expired medicines. This helps pharmacies avoid shortages and reduces waste while keeping essential medications available.
AI can support clinical decisions
AI tools can help pharmacists make better treatment decisions by:
- suggesting the most suitable treatment based on patient history
- adjusting medicine dosage for age, weight, or health conditions
- recommending therapy alternatives.
AI can be used in Kiosks & Smart Pharmacy Systems
Some pharmacies now use AI-powered kiosks which can:
- ask patients about symptoms
- suggest OTC medications
- check for drug interactions
- provide health education
- deliver personalised medication recommendations.
AI Could Help Expand The Roles Of Pharmacists And Pharmacy Technicians
AI and automation often shifts work rather than eliminating it. AI will likely make pharmacy more intellectually focused and less mechanical, shifting pharmacists toward being medication specialists in the healthcare team. AI technology should help free pharmacists up for more patient-focused work and make better use of their expertise in medicines. This could mean that we see more pharmacists working in GP clinics, hospitals, or telehealth and community pharmacists may act more like medication specialists in primary care.
Pharmacy technicians will likely become more specialised by handling operational tasks so that pharmacists can focus on clinical decisions and patient care. Technicians will be more involved in the dispensing workflow and oversight of automation while AI systems will be involved in checking for medicine interactions and data processing.
What Will Pharmacy Look Like In 5 To 10 Years With AI?
Within 5 to 10 years, pharmacists in NZ may routinely use:
- AI medication interaction checkers
- AI triage tools for minor ailments
- Automated dispensing machines
- AI-assisted medication reviews
- AI-generated documentation and reports
- AI-assisted dispensing workflow
- decision-support AI.
Will AI Help With The Current Pharmacist Shortage In New Zealand?
New Zealand currently has a significant pharmacy workforce shortage, with roughly 1,000 additional pharmacists and 600 pharmacy technicians needed.3 Using AI to reduce administrative pharmacy labour hours will help to address some of the pharmacy workforce issues. AI and automation are ways to:
- reduce pharmacist workload
- improve efficiency
- keep pharmacists in the profession.
This means AI may stabilise the pharmacy workforce rather than shrink it.
How Will AI Change The Future Of Pharmacy In New Zealand?
AI will almost certainly change the role of pharmacists in New Zealand, but it is likely to enhance their role rather than replace them. The main shift will be from moving pharmacists from primarily a dispensing and administration role towards more clinical and patient-facing work.
A major impact of AI will be automating the many repetitive tasks in the dispensary that currently take up a large portion of pharmacists’ time. AI is likely to automate:
- prescription data entry
- stock management
- prescription validation checks
- inventory and expiry monitoring
- administrative documentation.
What this means for pharmacists:
- fewer hours spent counting, labelling, and paperwork
- more time with patients
- more work delegated to pharmacy technicians or machines
- a move toward “top-of-scope” clinical care roles rather than routine dispensing.
Healthcare regulation and patient trust mean human oversight will remain mandatory and pharmacists will remain legally responsible for checking decisions and patient care. It is unlikely that we will see either fully automated pharmacies without pharmacists or AI making final medication decisions alone.
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