From curiosity to commercial value: what a year of Agentic AI has taught insurance (410)

In just twelve months, the conversation around Agentic AI in insurance has changed dramatically.  What began as curiosity about autonomous AI agents has evolved into a much more practical discussion about implementation, governance, economics and competitive advantage.  In this special solo episode, InsTech's Zoja Wojcik reflects on the developments that have shaped the market since InsTech's first Agentic AI event in November 2025. Drawing on conversations with insurers, brokers, MGAs, technology providers and industry leaders, she explores how the industry has moved beyond experimentation and towards a more challenging question: where does the commercial value actually come from?  Along the way, you'll hear insights from Simon Torrance, Erdal Atakan, Gina Gill, Elena Maran, Max Richter and Ian Thompson, alongside examples of how organisations including CFC, McGill & Partners, AIG, Duck Creek and hyperexponential are bringing Agentic AI into real insurance operations.  Whether you're still trying to understand what Agentic AI means for insurance or already evaluating deployment opportunities, this episode offers a practical snapshot of where the market stands today and the questions leaders should be asking next.  Want to continue the conversation? Join us in London on July 7 for 'The age of Agentic AI: from strategy to commercial value'. In this episode:  00:00 - What is Agentic AI and why has it become one of insurance's most discussed technologies?  03:15 - Looking back at the industry's first major Agentic AI event in November 2025  05:45 - Simon Torrance on why Agentic AI should be viewed as a new workforce, not simply another software tool  06:20 - Early deployment examples from across the insurance market:  CFC's Lane Assist   McGill & Partners and Salesforce Agentforce   AIG's AI-driven underwriting initiatives   Federato's agentic underwriting platform   hyperexponential and Banyan Risk   Duck Creek's insurance-native Agentic AI platform   08:15 - Why moving from pilot projects to production remains difficult  10:00 - The defining question of 2026: proving commercial value and ROI  12:15 - Intelligence Capital, competitive advantage and why buying AI tools may only create parity  13:30 - Orchestration, governance and maintaining trust in agentic systems  15:00 - Workforce transformation and practical lessons for insurance leaders  16:00 - What questions should insurance organisations be asking next?  Key takeaways:  The industry conversation has shifted from experimentation towards implementation and measurable business outcomes.   Many of the biggest barriers to adoption are organisational rather than technical.   Boards increasingly expect clear economic justification for AI investment.   Competitive advantage may come less from AI models themselves and more from institutional knowledge and decision-making expertise.   Governance frameworks must evolve alongside increasingly autonomous systems.   Organisations that focus on specific business problems are more likely to succeed than those pursuing AI for its own sake.   Featured contributors:  Simon Torrance, AI Risk   Erdal Atakan, Inigo   Gina Gill, Apollo   Elena Maran, Alethesis AI   Max Richter, Mea platform   Ian Thompson, IMT Advisory  Further reading:  For listeners looking to explore the themes discussed in this episode:  Agentic AI & insurance  Podcast episode: Where is the industry today? – a view from the C-suite (A rare C-suite perspective on Agentic AI: what it is, how it’s being deployed and why senior leaders are walking a tightrope between bold innovation and operational risk.)  CFC launches Lane Assist, a live agentic underwriting pilot  McGill & Partners becomes first London Market broker to deploy Agentic AI  McGill + AIG collaboration using AI-driven underwriting  Duck Creek launches insurance-native Agentic AI Platform  Federato RiskOps and Agentic underwriting platform  MGA Banyan Risk deploys hx’s full agentic underwriting suite  Strategy & commercial value  Simon Torrance's work on Intelligence Capital   AI Risk research on Agentic AI and enterprise transformation   InsTech & ServiceNow New York event: The future of insurance will be orchestrated, not built  Governance & Responsible AI  Article: The New Frontier: Managing and insuring generative and agentic AI risks with Edinburgh Futures Institute  Podcast episode: Creating a new kind of assurance & insurance framework for AI-related risks (This episode unpacks one of the most ambitious research initiatives currently shaping the future of AI risk in insurance.)