At the InsureTech Connect (ITC) London 2026 conference, industry leaders made it clear that artificial intelligence isn’t optional — it’s essential for insurers seeking to remain competitive and future-ready. The event underscored that although many insurers have modernized parts of their operating environments, most have yet to complete a full transformation, leaving legacy processes that slow decision-making and hamper value creation in a rapidly shifting market. AI was presented not as a science project but as a core strategic requirement for innovation and efficient business operations.
Speakers at ITC London emphasized that firms that merely pilot AI in isolated areas risk being overtaken by competitors who industrialize experimentation and innovation across the enterprise. This means embedding an AI-centric, test-and-learn culture into underwriting, claims, and governance functions — rather than confining AI to labs or back-office automation. Progressive insurers are rethinking how they manage unstructured data and routing work to intelligent systems that enhance throughput and reduce manual bottlenecks, enabling underwriters to focus on higher-value risk decisions and customer engagement.
A central theme of the conference was the practical deployment of AI to solve real operational challenges. Rather than aiming for full automation, successful use cases involved tools that organize incoming information from messy PDFs and email chains into structured data, shorten processing cycles, and integrate seamlessly into existing workflows. Panels also reframed governance, bias, and regulatory compliance not as obstacles but as essential design components for responsible AI adoption. Strong data discipline and oversight were highlighted as critical to scaling AI safely in the highly regulated insurance sector.
Exhibitors and sessions showcased five core areas where AI is reshaping insurance: advanced data ingestion and document intelligence; workflow orchestration that embeds model outputs into core systems; digital platforms that speed capacity checks and negotiations; governance-by-design tools for auditability and regulatory reporting; and analytics engines targeting emerging risks like cyber and supply-chain disruptions. Together, these demonstrate that strategic and targeted AI deployment — not broad, unfocused digital transformation — is what will drive efficiency, customer experience improvement, and profitability in insurance going forward.
