Moderna has merged its technology and human resources departments into a single function, driven by the impact of artificial intelligence on its workforce, according to The Wall Street Journal. The biotech company created a new role, chief people and digital technology officer, and promoted its human resources chief Tracey Franklin to the position late last year.
Franklin is redesigning teams based on what work is best done by people versus what can be automated with technology, including tech leveraged from a partnership with AI giant OpenAI. This has resulted in roles being created, eliminated, and reimagined across the company. Franklin had been working closely with then-CIO Brad Miller on a yearslong effort to reassess department needs and redesign them with an optimal mix of human workers and technology systems.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Moderna nearly doubled its workforce from about 830 employees to approximately 1,500 employees. The company now has over 5,000 employees globally. The OpenAI partnership has been transformative, with the company developing over 3,000 tailored versions of ChatGPT, called GPTs, to facilitate specific tasks. These include dose selection for clinical trials and drafting responses to regulator questions.
GPTs can be combined to execute more complex workflows. For example, a broad human resources GPT can digest employee questions and route them to GPTs focused on performance management, equity, or benefits. Franklin described this as a “virtual HR, AI agent” that replaces junior-level HR analyst roles. In February, Moderna cut 10% of digital technology jobs, affecting about 50 people, due to lower demand for its Covid-19 vaccine.
Wade Davis, head of digital for business at Moderna, noted that the number of GPTs is growing daily. “It’s hard to convey—within the hype—how much AI is changing things and how much Moderna is using it across the board,” he said. Despite recent job cuts, Franklin stated that the company will continue to increase headcount as it launches more products.
Moderna reported a $971 million first-quarter loss, largely due to lower product sales, but expects demand to rise during the cold and flu season later this year.
