Sarah Armstrong-Smith warned insurance firms that employee apathy risks derailing AI adoption. She spoke at Dive In Festival 2026. She said AI adoption is moving faster than past industrial shifts. Brokers face pressure to use AI for quoting and customer service. A survey found 61% of consumers prefer agents using AI. The same survey found 87% still value human agents. Another survey found only 35% of agents use AI daily. Armstrong-Smith said human judgment remains critical in insurance. She argued apathy is the biggest organizational risk. She noted humans still control AI deployment and impact. Dive In 2026 is the final edition of the festival. Its theme is navigating AI while preserving human judgment.

• 61% of consumers prefer agents using AI
• 35% of agents use AI daily
• 53% of agents are optimistic about AI
• 77% see rising client speed expectations