Suncorp has commenced \u201cfull-scale delivery\u201d of agentic AI into its operations, predicting it will allow the insurer to \u201ccompletely re-imagine\u201d customer service and claims lodgement processes in the first instance.<\/p>\n
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\n Suncorp CIO Adam Bennett.
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The insurer\u2019s CIO Adam Bennett, who labelled the move as the \u201cacceleration of (Suncorp’s) ambition and adoption\u201d of agentic AI, said it was \u201cperhaps the most material development\u201d in the AI space in a year.<\/a><\/p>\n The ability of AI to \u201cplan, apply judgement, and most importantly, act autonomously because it\u2019s been given agency\u201d, has encouraged Suncorp to scope potential uses from across its operations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can completely re-imagine our customer experiences and end-to-end processes in every part of the organisation,\u201d Bennett said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur initial focus for deployment of Agentic AI is in claims and customer service, which is of course where we see the largest value pools.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, this by no means limits its broader potential\u201d.<\/p>\n Bennett said the insurance group had just wrapped up what he called an \u201cin-depth ideation phase\u201d\u00a0\u2013 presumably collecting candidate use cases for the technology\u00a0\u2013 and had moved into \u201cfull-scale delivery, having developed a clear execution roadmap with cross-functional representation from every part of the organisation, as well as further investing and uplifting our core technology capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur initial efforts will target simple customer service interactions through voice and chat, as well as automated claims lodgement and assessment across consumer, commercial and personal injury,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n AI driving operational transformation<\/p>\n Bennett backed AI more broadly as a key enabler of \u201coperational transformation\u201d\u00a0\u2013 a concept which has the support of Suncorp’s chief executive Steve Johnston.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is about becoming a seamless, digital-first insurer, enabling us to reduce our cost-to-serve and provide our customers with superior sales, service, and claims experiences,\u201d Bennett said.<\/p>\n While noting that \u201cdigitisation, automation, partnering and artificial intelligence\u201d all had roles to play, he said that \u201cAI is where we see the greatest transformational opportunities over the next horizon\u201d.<\/p>\n The company has already set up an \u201centerprise-wide governance model to monitor [its] AI settings and policies, and a structured prioritisation framework to drive alignment and ensure that we\u2019re accelerating the highest-impact AI initiatives,\u201d Bennett said.<\/p>\n It is also training staff both in how to use AI and to prepare them to adapt \u201cto the uncertain but clear future era of AI\u201d.<\/p>\n Bennett also called out the insurer\u2019s technology deployments, including its embrace of \u201centerprise AI utilities\u201d like Microsoft Copilot, its use of native AI that is embedded in core platforms\u00a0and its use of SunGPT<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0its own internally-managed platform\u00a0\u2013 for \u201cmore proprietary use cases\u201d.<\/p>\n The insurer has strong interest in the value generated by any AI usage and has been keen to measure it.<\/p>\n Bennett cited an example of AI use in issuing commercial motor fleet insurance quotes, saying it halved turnaround times and allowed for an increased volume of quotes to be processed.<\/p>\n Suncorp has also \u201cjust gone live\u201d with a smart product disclosure statement (PDS) \u201cutility\u201d.<\/p>\n