Philip Morris International’s Moira Gilchrist Positions Human Judgment as a Critical Leadership Advantage Amid Rapid AI Adoption at Wall Street Journal Forum

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.