On June 2, Socotra brought together insurance leaders, technologists, and investors for PlatForum 2026. Held at the Ink 48 Hotel in New York City, PlatForum featured an afternoon of discussions, demonstrations, and debate about one of the most consequential shifts the insurance industry has faced in decades: artificial intelligence.
Throughout the event, speakers returned to a common message: AI has the potential to transform underwriting, claims, operations, and software development. However, insurers cannot simply bolt AI onto outdated technology. Success will depend on modern core systems, accessible data, open architectures, and platforms designed for continual evolution.
PlatForum 2026 was made possible through the support of our Platinum Sponsors, Deloitte and Five Sigma, and our General Sponsors, Adyen, AWS, and Radity. Together, the event explored what it takes to build an AI-ready insurance organization.
Five Takeaways from PlatForum 2026
Successful AI adoption depends on modern infrastructure, accessible data, strong documentation, and open integrations.
AI-compatible core systems will create a growing competitive advantage for insurers.
The biggest AI gains will come from embedding intelligence directly into underwriting, claims, and operational workflows.
Insurers should buy core capabilities and focus their resources on building differentiated experiences and processes.
Capturing institutional knowledge and making data accessible are strategic priorities in the AI era.
PlatForum Sessions
Keynote: The State of AI and Insurance Technology
Socotra Founder and CEO Dan Woods opened the event with a keynote on the rapid evolution of AI and its implications for insurance technology.
Drawing comparisons to previous technology shifts—including smartphones, modern consumer appliances, and the rise of the internet—Dan argued that AI represents a fundamental change in how software is built and used.
While AI is already accelerating software development and improving business productivity, not all enterprise software is equally prepared for the agentic era. Insurers should look for:
Modular Design
Open Languages and Formats
Documentation
Data Fluency
MCP Servers
Dan also discussed the differences between AI experimentation and production-ready AI. While demonstrations are easy to create, mature AI solutions require robust infrastructure, reliable systems, and disciplined engineering.
Read the blog post on AI coding in insurance.
AI Demo: Socotra Assistant
Mathew Seguin, Principal Solutions Consultant at Socotra, walked the audience through a live demo of Socotra Assistant and how AI can accelerate real-world insurance workflows.
Using a commercial insurance submission example, Mathew showed how the assistant can:
Ingest emails, ACORD forms, spreadsheets, and supporting documents
Extract and validate information
Identify inconsistencies
Generate follow-up communications
Provide underwriting insights.
Rather than replacing insurance professionals, the demonstration highlighted how AI can eliminate administrative work, surface critical information faster, and help underwriters make better decisions.
The session reinforced an important theme from the keynote: AI creates the greatest value when it is embedded directly into operational workflows.
Read our blog post on Socotra Assistant and the underwriting inbox to learn more.
Brian Van Daele, Principal of Insurance Solutions Practice at Deloitte Consulting, discussed the evolution of insurance core systems from mainframes to cloud platforms and explored how AI is reshaping modernization strategies.
Brian walked through decades of technology change, highlighting how insurers have repeatedly balanced customization, flexibility, and operational efficiency. His conclusion was straightforward: insurers should invest in proven platforms for foundational capabilities, such as policy administration, billing, and claims, while focusing internal resources on building the capabilities that create competitive differentiation.
“Buy the Basics”
(Even though we know it’s not just basic)
Buy an Al/Cloud-enabled core that does these things:
• Product Definition
• Quote, Bind, Issue, Cancel, Reinstate, OOS, etc.
• Bulletproof system of record
Buy a core that is technically mature:
• Real-time data access
• Continual platform upgrades
• Flexibility to support Al-augmented workflows
• APIs, APIs, APIs
Buy a core that enables:
• Reduces implementation time significantly
• Serves multiple lines of business equally well
• Scales and performs
Build the Cool
Build exactly what empowers your organization:
• Digital distribution channels
• Bespoke customer self-service capabilities
• Back-office enablers: UW Workflows, Al agents, etc.
• Integrations to new 3rd-party data providers
• Revolutionary workflow tailored to your org’s priorities
AI-Native Claims Solutions for P&C Insurance
Brandon Littles, Global Solutions Expert at Five Sigma, discussed the future of claims and why now is the time to add AI claims automation and modernize your claims operations.
He detailed how claims is uniquely positioned for AI adoption due to repetitive processes, high volumes of structured and unstructured data, and numerous decision points. Brandon outlined the path from AI-assisted claims handling to fully autonomous claims management, where AI agents increasingly execute work while humans focus on oversight and exception management.
The presentation showcased Five Sigma’s vision for AI-native claims operations, demonstrating how automation can reduce leakage, improve consistency, accelerate resolution times, and enhance policyholder experiences.
Carrier Panel: 2026 Technology Perspectives
The event concluded with a panel moderated by Douglas Kim, Senior Fellow of AI at MIT and Partner at Brewer Lane Ventures. Joining Douglas were Brian Poppe, SVP of Life Insurance Solutions at Mutual of Omaha, and Arron Lamp, CIO at Tokio Marine HCC – Public Risk Group.
The discussion focused on the realities of implementing AI inside large insurance organizations. While enthusiasm for AI is widespread, panelists emphasized that meaningful adoption depends on foundational work: modernizing infrastructure, improving data quality, documenting institutional knowledge, and establishing governance frameworks.
The panel also highlighted a growing divide within the industry. Some organizations are aggressively experimenting with AI, while others are still addressing decades of accumulated legacy technology. Regardless of where insurers are on the journey, the panelists agreed that modernization and AI readiness are becoming inseparable priorities.
Following the event, attendees gathered at Hudson Vu for InsurTech on Tap, continuing conversations about AI, modernization, and the future of insurance technology.
The reception provided an opportunity for insurers, technology providers, and investors to connect, exchange ideas, and build new relationships ahead of a busy week at Insurtech Insights USA.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who attended PlatForum 2026, including our speakers, sponsors, customers, partners, and members of the insurance technology community.
The conversations throughout the day reinforced a clear message: the future of insurance will be shaped not only by AI, but by modernizing the underlying core systems and technology.
