The AI in Business Podcast Modernizing Insurance Pricing From Excel to Explainable AI - Thomas Holmes of Akur8
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Jan 12, 2026 In this enlightening discussion, Thomas Holmes, Chief Actuary for North America at Akur8, shares insights on modernizing insurance pricing. He explains the challenges of inertia and governance that make change difficult. Skepticism around generic AI is addressed, emphasizing the need for an opinionated AI framework with proper oversight. Holmes advises starting small with clear problem statements and improving data foundations. He also highlights the importance of building trust across teams to ensure successful AI adoption in the insurance industry.
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Excel's False Comfort
- Excel's perceived transparency masks real opaqueness and fragility in insurance workflows.
- New tools must be unequivocally better to overcome entrenched Excel momentum.
Insurance Data Can Mislead Models
- Generic off-the-shelf AI often fails on insurance tasks because the data can mislead.
- Actuaries exist to spot where data lies and adjust models accordingly.
Use Opinionated AI With Guardrails
- Build AI with an opinionated framework and guardrails rather than turning it completely loose.
- Limit flexibility to preserve governance, oversight, and reduce mistakes.