The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new challenges for accountability, responsibility and insurability, with adoption rates outpacing existing AI governance frameworks, according to Willis’ latest Risk and Resilience Assessment.
Willis noted that AI is embedded throughout the entire workflow, from reading claims files and making underwriting judgments to filtering cyber threats. It is rapidly changing the way risk is understood, priced and managed.
More than 700 million people now use leading AI systems every week, and the technology is increasingly embedded in operational infrastructure, influencing customer interactions and execution decisions.
However, the challenge businesses now face is adopting AI responsibly. Many organizations already rely on systems they cannot fully interrogate, and trust is not always the output of being challenged. The result is a subtle but significant shift in the way risk is created, distributed and, in some cases, amplified.
Willis highlighted the implications for the insurance industry: “This is an uncomfortable area for insurers. The industry is used to dealing with uncertainty but often benefits from history, data and precedent. Here, those anchors are weaker. Risks have increased across multiple areas, while liability, accountability and insurability issues are still being resolved.”
Willis emphasized that some of the most immediate impacts of AI are occurring in core insurance processes. This is no longer primarily a technical issue; It has become a governance, liability and insurance challenge that spans legal principles, regulation and operational oversight.
The company also noted that the insurance market is beginning to diverge, with some insurers and brokers continuing to rely on traditional policy wording and “silent AI” assumptions, while others are introducing affirmative AI coverage and strengthening underwriting requirements related to governance and control frameworks.
Despite these challenges, AI is already delivering real value, increasing speed, consistency and insight across a range of insurance functions. Willis emphasized that unlocking this value depends on strong governance, clear human judgment points, and a prudent approach to building trust in the output generated by AI.
Willis Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Spike Lipkin “Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the risk landscape in real time, but many organizations are moving forward without fully understanding the systems they rely on. This creates a dangerous gap between innovation and oversight. Business leaders need to recognize that this is no longer just a technology issue, but a challenge of governance, accountability and trust. Those who remain passive risk falling behind in resilience and competitiveness. Leaders must remain vigilant, challenge output, and invest in strong governance frameworks that bring transparency and accountability to the operations of AI. Deployed.”
