Artificial Intelligence-Driven Strategies for Predicting, Personalizing, and Optimizing Therapeutic Targets in...

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, represent chronic relapsing inflammatory disorders characterized by complex interactions among genetic, microbiome-related, immunological, and environmental factors. Although advances in biologics and small-molecule inhibitors have expanded therapeutic options, substantial variability in treatment response, drug resistance, and unpredictable disease progression remain major clinical challenges. Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning and deep learning, have reshaped current approaches to understanding IBD pathogenesis, identifying druggable molecular targets, and optimizing patient-specific treatment strategies. AI-based models have demonstrated strong potential in predicting disease trajectories, stratifying patients, detecting therapeutic biomarkers, and accelerating target identification in drug discovery pipelines. Moreover, integrative AI frameworks combining multi-omics data, endoscopic imaging, and electronic health records enable real-time, personalized decision-making and improved evaluation of therapeutic response. This review summarizes emerging AI-driven methodologies for drug target discovery, personalized therapy optimization, and clinical outcome prediction in IBD. Additionally, we outline current limitations, translational challenges, and future directions for incorporating AI into precision medicine frameworks aimed at reducing chronic inflammation and improving long-term disease management.