A Brookings Institution report highlights a growing labour risk tied to Artificial Intelligence adoption, with insurance among the sectors facing direct pressure on routine, transactional roles. The findings point to a divide between workers whose jobs are highly exposed to Artificial Intelligence and those who have the resources, skills, or mobility to adapt. In the UK insurance market, sales agents, claims handlers, and administrative support staff are presented as especially vulnerable because their work often centres on codifiable processes such as quoting, data entry, and standard policy renewals.
On average, highly Artificial Intelligence-exposed workers appear well-equipped to handle job transitions relative to the rest of the workforce, yet a staggering 6.1 million workers in the US still face both high exposure and low adaptive capacity. That combination is treated as the key risk factor, because occupation-level exposure alone does not fully explain who is most likely to struggle. The report also identifies women as particularly at risk, reinforcing concerns that the impact of Artificial Intelligence on work will not be evenly distributed across the labour market.
For brokerages, the suggested response is not simply to cut headcount as generative Artificial Intelligence takes on repetitive work. A more durable strategy is to move employees from low-value transactional tasks into roles where human judgment carries greater weight. That includes retraining staff for complex commercial lines, specialty risk, or high-net-worth advisory work, where empathy, contextual understanding, and negotiation remain difficult to automate. The aim is to position employees to interpret Artificial Intelligence outputs rather than be replaced by them.
Another recommendation is the creation of bridge roles that help workers move gradually into more advanced positions. Examples include client success associate or risk analyst trainee roles that allow staff to shadow senior brokers while building critical thinking, business acumen, and negotiation skills. The report’s broader message is that firms should actively strengthen adaptive capacity by offering fully subsidised training and on-the-clock support for industry qualifications such as Chartered Insurance Institute credentials. Brokerages that connect technology investment with workforce development are positioned to preserve institutional knowledge and client relationships while navigating the transition.
