Microsoft Insurance Corner

In this episode of Microsoft Insurance Corner, Steve and Heather are joined by James Lees, Head of Insurance & Investments at Microsoft UK, to discuss what successful AI transformation really looks like. They explore the shift from AI hype towards real business value, the importance of culture and trust, and why adoption increasingly needs to be treated as an organisational challenge rather than simply a technology programme. James Lees also shares Microsoft's own experiences of experimenting, learning from approaches that have not worked and using champions, prompt sharing and gamification to encourage adoption. The conversation also looks beyond the workplace, including how James Lees's family uses AI for learning and everyday life, and why responsible use and appropriate controls remain so important.

In this episode of Microsoft’s Insurance Corner, Heather and Steve sit down with data expert Jonathan Ball to unravel the mysteries behind Microsoft’s 3 IQs. From connecting productivity tools and business data to building bespoke AI agents, learn how Work IQ, Fabric IQ, and Foundry IQ are reshaping the insurance landscape. The conversation dives into practical strategies for leveraging your organisation’s data as intellectual property, the critical role of semantic layers and ontologies, and the importance of clean, curated data for successful AI adoption. Whether you’re navigating the buy vs. build debate or seeking real-world examples of bleeding-edge innovation, this episode offers actionable insights for insurance leaders and practitioners ready to future-proof their business.

In this episode of Microsoft’s Insurance Corner, Steve Walker and Heather Haley sit down with Sean Cox, Account Technology Strategist, to unpack the journey of creating and deploying an agentic AI solution for the UK insurance sector. Sean shares practical insights on overcoming technical hurdles, navigating Microsoft’s internal processes, and scaling from a personal tool to a multi-agent platform. Learn how feedback, iterative development, and cross-industry collaboration drive innovation—and why starting with “why” is essential for meaningful transformation. Whether you’re an insurance leader, practitioner, or tech enthusiast, this episode offers actionable takeaways and inspiration for your own AI journey.

Discover how AI and Microsoft technologies are revolutionizing the UK insurance sector, with expert insights from industry leaders and real-world stories.

Michael Dawson joins Insurance Corner to discuss why organisations should stop obsessing over AI models and start thinking about AI as a platform. From Copilot and agents to AutoPilot and Scout, Michael shares practical examples of how AI is transforming work across financial services and insurance. With the World Cup in full swing, Mike brings a fantastic Footie analogy to the role of AI, agents, models and Copilot.

In this episode of Insurance Corner, we sit down with David Prince, Microsoft Account Executive and Financial Services AI champion, to explore the real-world impact of AI agents on the insurance industry.

Drawing parallels to the rise of the internet, David explains why agent-based AI represents a fundamental shift—not just in tools, but in how organisations operate. Agents are no longer passive systems—they act as “digital employees”, capable of reasoning, completing tasks, and collaborating with humans to drive productivity and innovation.

We break down the evolution of AI adoption across three key stages:

The discussion also explores practical insurance use cases, including:

David also tackles a key industry concern: agent sprawl vs. governance—highlighting the importance of clear rules, standardisation, and structured adoption strategies.

Finally, we discuss what it takes to deploy agents successfully—from AI envisioning workshops and co-build approaches to prioritising high-ROI use cases and embracing experimentation.

Whether you’re an insurer, broker, or technology leader, this episode provides a clear roadmap to move from AI experimentation to real business transformation.

What if technology could make one of life's most difficult moments a little easier?

How can insurers move from AI hype to real business value? In this episode, Kim Wolff joins us to unpack common misconceptions, why most AI projects stall at POC, and where organisations are actually seeing impact today.

In this episode, Dan Reardon explores how AI, data, and collaboration are reshaping the London insurance market. From its historic roots to a future powered by agentic AI, discover how insurers can evolve from risk takers to risk advisors.

How should insurers design for AI agents, manage model choice, and modernise legacy applications at scale? In this episode, experts from Microsoft Financial Services share practical insights from recent industry discussions at Tech Connect.