As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries worldwide, insurance is facing a period of transformation that presents both opportunity and uncertainty.
For Chris Reese, vice president of product – professional liability and cyber at Zurich North America, the key to navigating this shift lies not in the technology alone, but in cultivating leaders with a growth mindset. This era of transformation is not a threat but an opportunity for professionals, particularly women, to step into new leadership roles.
“Whenever there’s a big change, it also can cause some uncertainty. And so change adaptation is important, and having those skills is important,” Reese told Insurance Business.
“Overall, I think this is a very exciting opportunity. It’s an exciting time for women to be in the field, especially women who have a growth mindset.”
Reese sees AI as an enabler that frees insurance professionals from routine tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value work. For example, claims handlers can use AI to ingest data and surface actionable insights far more quickly.
In cyber claims – Reese’s specialty – models can rapidly parse reports to identify whether a breach stemmed from an email attack or a compromised password. That speed can be critical in containing threats.
Similarly, AI’s ability to detect anomalies in claims photos or triage underwriting submissions promises to reduce manual workloads. But Reese emphasized that technology is not replacing human judgment. Instead, AI acts as a partner.
“We have humans in the process who help train the model and then who are evaluating the model output to make sure it’s correct and on point with our desired outcome,” she said.
While enthusiasm for AI is growing, Reese cautioned against viewing it as a silver bullet. She argued that companies must pair technology investments with strong commitments to talent development.
“AI is not a magic bullet that takes away all your problems,” she said. “If AI is deployed incorrectly, if the models are not effective, it actually can take you down paths that would be very disruptive to the business.”
Her advice: start small, invest within budget, and let humans lead the way in determining business needs. Training underwriters and claims professionals to collaborate with developers ensures that AI tools reflect real-world practices. That process, she said, creates exciting opportunities for reskilling and career growth.
Central to Reese’s perspective is the concept of a growth mindset: a belief that skills and intelligence can be developed with effort and learning. Leaders who adopt this approach are better equipped to manage change, foster team resilience, and identify strategic opportunities for AI adoption.
“First of all, if someone’s not familiar with what a growth mindset is or how to develop one, there’s a lot of information out there,” Reese said, pointing to resources ranging from LinkedIn courses to Google’s free AI certifications.
For women in insurance especially, AI presents a chance to step into influential roles. “You need to be very strategic and say, ‘I see this is where we can have an impact.’ And you need to be able to articulate your case to say this is where we should make an initial investment,” Reese said. “If you try to start too big, my view is it’s likely to crash.”
The ability to think strategically, communicate clearly, and start small before scaling – these are leadership skills that align with growth mindset principles.
Reese acknowledges that resistance to change is natural. To ease adoption, she recommends introducing AI tools in low-risk environments, such as creating presentations, so employees can experiment without fear. At the same time, organizations should invest in change management initiatives, whether through internal training or external guidance.
“Most of us have part of our brain that just likes things to stay the same because that feels safe,” Reese said. “So, bringing people along on that journey... helping people understand that there is a place for them... that’s really important.”
Alongside opportunities, Reese is cognizant of the risks. Data governance and cybersecurity must remain top priorities as companies bring in third-party datasets or integrate new AI systems. From anonymization of personal information to verifying lawful data sources, insurers must be deliberate in protecting themselves and their clients.
“An insurance company or an insurance brokerage firm needs to be very, very deliberate and thoughtful about evaluating that data,” Reese said. “Otherwise, from a liability standpoint, it could expose them to litigation from the consumers and also from regulators.”
Chris Reese will share more of her insights as a panellist at the Women in Insurance Summit Los Angeles, a leading industry event dedicated to advancing diversity and leadership in the insurance sector.
The highly anticipated summit will provide attendees with a platform to hear from trailblazing leaders, explore strategies for success in a changing industry, and network with peers.
With AI, digital transformation, and leadership at the forefront of discussion, Reese’s perspective on fostering a growth mindset leadership will be particularly timely.
Women in Insurance Summit is also one of the top global and US insurance events in the list to find key growth opportunities for brokers. For more information and to register, please visit Women in Insurance Summit Los Angeles.
