Chicagoland board

AI Council

We’re bringing together trailblazers across financial services to accelerate AI adoption, influence policy, and shape the future of our industry. This is your opportunity to join an elite group of AI and financial professionals within one of America’s most respected organizations.

Be part of the movement. Be part of the revolution!

NAIFA AI Council

Committee Mission and Goals

Mission

The NAIFA AI Council is established to empower insurance and financial professionals to confidently, ethically, and effectively leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their practices.

The Council serves as a center of excellence within NAIFA for advancing AI knowledge, practical skills, and responsible adoption—ensuring advisors remain trusted, relevant, and competitive in an increasingly AI‑driven industry.

Our mission is to translate AI innovation into practical value for insurance agents and financial advisors while promoting responsible AI principles, informed decision‑making, and client‑centric outcomes across the insurance and financial services ecosystem.

Committee Goals

1. Advance AI Skills for Insurance and Financial Professionals

Equip NAIFA members with practical, advisor‑focused AI knowledge applicable to sales, servicing, underwriting support, operations, risk assessment, and client engagement.
Bridge the gap between emerging AI technologies and real‑world advisory use cases, enabling professionals to adopt AI with confidence.

2. Educate, Train, and Mentor Advisors

Provide structured training, workshops, and learning forums designed specifically for insurance agents and financial advisors at varying stages of AI maturity.
Mentor advisors on how to responsibly integrate AI into their practices without compromising ethics, compliance, or client trust.
Support professional growth by demystifying AI and positioning it as an augmentation tool, not a replacement for human advice.

3. Promote Responsible and Ethical AI Adoption

Raise awareness of responsible AI principles, including transparency, explainability, data privacy, bias mitigation, and regulatory considerations.
Encourage responsible use of AI in alignment with industry regulations, fiduciary responsibilities, and consumer protection standards.
Serve as a trusted voice within NAIFA on ethical AI practices relevant to insurance and financial services.

4. Provide Thought Leadership Across the Industry

Establish NAIFA as a leading voice in AI for insurance and financial professionals through curated thought leadership, speaking engagements, publications, and panel discussions.
Share insights on how AI is shaping the future of advising, distribution, risk management, and customer experience.
Influence industry dialogue by highlighting real‑world AI success stories, lessons learned, and best practices.

5. Foster Community Awareness and Engagement

Build an active AI community within NAIFA that encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing, and peer learning.
Engage with members, partners, and the broader community to increase AI literacy and reduce fear or misinformation around AI.
Act as ambassadors for the profession by demonstrating how AI can strengthen trust, professionalism, and long‑term client relationships.

6. Support NAIFA’s Broader Mission

Align all AI Council initiatives with NAIFA’s longstanding commitment to professionalism, education, advocacy, and member success.
Ensure AI adoption serves the best interests of advisors, clients, and the broader financial security ecosystem.

Membership in the NAIFA AI Council recognizes professionals who demonstrate distinguished leadership, innovation, and influence in the application of Artificial Intelligence within the Insurance and Financial Services industry. Applicants are expected to show sustained contribution and recognized impact across technology, industry advancement, and community leadership.

Applicants must provide written evidence demonstrating eligibility across three core areas, and must meet at least four sub‑criteria, including one from each core area, plus one additional criterion from either Body of Work or Industry Contribution.

1. Demonstrated Leadership in Insurance & Financial Services

Evidence should highlight the applicant’s individual achievements and accountability in advancing AI within insurance, financial services, or adjacent regulated industries. Submissions should focus on outcomes and impact, not job titles alone.

Sub‑criteria include:

AI Invention and Innovation

Creation or leadership of AI-powered products, platforms, models, or architectures used in insurance or financial services.
Innovations may include underwriting, claims, fraud detection, risk modeling, customer experience, compliance, or operational intelligence.
Evidence should demonstrate measurable business, operational, or risk outcomes.

Enterprise AI Responsibility

Accountability for strategic AI decisions within a business unit, program, product, or enterprise.
Ownership of model governance, ethical AI practices, regulatory alignment, scalability, or production deployment.
Demonstrated leadership in deploying AI responsibly in regulated environments.

Applied AI Research or Thought Leadership

Authorship or leadership of applied AI research, whitepapers, frameworks, or industry methodologies relevant to insurance or financial services.
Evidence should establish real‑world adoption, citation, or influence, not theoretical exploration alone.

Consulting and Advisory Leadership

Serving as a trusted AI advisor to insurers, financial institutions, or industry bodies.
Guiding organizations through AI strategy, transformation, implementation, or risk governance at scale.

2. Industry Contribution

Advancing the Insurance and Financial Services Ecosystem: Applicants should demonstrate how their work extends beyond their employer to elevate the broader industry’s use of AI.

Sub‑criteria include:

Contribution to Industry Modernization

Driving AI adoption that improves industry efficiency, resilience, customer trust, or regulatory alignment.
Influencing how insurers, brokers, carriers, or financial institutions adopt AI responsibly.

Cross‑Industry and Ecosystem Collaboration

Building partnerships across technology providers, insurers, regulators, academia, or industry associations.
Advancing shared AI standards, best practices, or operating models.

Ethical, Responsible, and Trustworthy AI

Leadership in AI governance, bias mitigation, explainability, compliance, or consumer protection.
Contributions that strengthen public and institutional trust in AI within financial services.

Outstanding Mentorship and Talent Development

Demonstrated mentorship of AI practitioners, insurance professionals, or emerging leaders.
Active involvement in upskilling, coaching, or developing next‑generation AI leaders within the industry.

3. Industry Recognition and Influence

Applicants must show that their contributions are recognized by peers, institutions, or the broader AI and insurance/financial community.

Sub‑criteria include:

Public Influencer and Industry Advocate

Recognized speaker, panelist, author, or contributor at industry conferences, forums, publications, or media.
Active role in shaping industry conversations around AI in insurance and financial services.

Professional Recognition and Appointments

Appointments to industry councils, advisory boards, standards bodies, or governance committees.
Recognition through awards, fellowships, senior professional status, or comparable distinction.

Ecosystem Leadership

Serving as an ambassador for AI excellence, responsibility, and innovation within the insurance or financial services profession.
Influencing how AI is perceived, adopted, and governed across the industry.