Employee Apathy Threatens to Derail Insurance's AI Push

At the recent Dive In Festival 2026, Sarah Armstrong-Smith, former chief security advisor at Microsoft and executive director at Secure Horizons, warned that insurance companies may be overlooking a major risk in their push to adopt artificial intelligence: employee apathy. According to Armstrong-Smith, the speed of AI adoption is forcing companies to confront human consequences much faster than in previous industrial shifts.

The rapid pace of change has put brokers and agents under pressure to use AI to accelerate quoting, customer service, marketing, and administrative work while preserving the advice and relationships that distinguish the intermediary channel. A September survey found 61% of consumers are more likely to choose an agent using AI and modern technology for faster, personalized service.

However, adoption across the agency channel is uneven, with only 35% of independent agents using AI in day-to-day operations, despite 53% expressing optimism about its impact. Armstrong-Smith described the tension between adopting new technology quickly and operational and cultural risks of moving faster than employees are ready for.