Merck (NYSE: MRK) and Google Cloud announced a multi-year partnership valued at up to $1 billion to deploy artificial intelligence technology across Merck's operations. The collaboration will integrate Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise platform into Merck's research and development, manufacturing, commercial, and corporate functions.

The partnership includes Google Cloud engineers working alongside Merck teams to implement AI solutions for the pharmaceutical company's 75,000 employees worldwide. The initiative aims to digitize data and enhance productivity across Merck's global operations.

"Merck's collaboration with Google Cloud represents the next phase of our AI journey, extending our longstanding use of advanced technologies into an intelligent agentic ecosystem that will work alongside our teams, as we enter one of the most significant launch periods in our company's history," said Dave Williams, chief information and digital officer at Merck.

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, described the partnership as representing "a fundamental shift in how technology supports the entire pharma value chain."

The collaboration will deploy Gemini Enterprise across research and development workflows, optimize manufacturing through predictive analytics and automation, enhance commercial and patient engagement with data-driven personalization, and implement AI-powered automation in corporate functions.

The announcement was made at Cloud Next '26 in Las Vegas. Information is based on a press release from the companies.