Pacific Life's Ghalili: Human Judgment Still Anchors Underwriting as AI Expands Its Reach

Why It Matters

AI‑enhanced underwriting can close the talent gap, boost productivity, and preserve underwriting quality, reshaping risk assessment across the insurance sector.

Key Takeaways

• AI seen as efficiency tool, not underwriting replacement.
• Human experts needed to train and validate AI models.
• AI can free underwriters for relationship‑building and critical thinking.
• Talent shortage drives AI adoption for knowledge transfer.
• Future underwriting will blend AI automation with human judgment.

Summary

Pacific Life’s senior vice president and chief underwriter, Susan Galilei, explained how artificial intelligence is moving from a speculative concept to a practical tool in life‑insurance underwriting. In an AM Best Audio interview, she highlighted that the industry’s 2026 underwriting outlook survey shows executives embracing AI as a reality, though its full potential remains untapped.

Galilei emphasized that AI should automate repetitive, data‑heavy tasks, allowing underwriters to concentrate on critical thinking, client relationships, and nuanced risk assessment. She noted AI’s role in addressing the looming talent gap as veteran underwriters retire, positioning the technology as a conduit for knowledge transfer to younger professionals. The goal, she said, is to multiply case‑handling capacity without compromising mortality outcomes.

A memorable point from the conversation was Galilei’s description of AI as “another tool that needs to be trained,” underscoring the necessity of subject‑matter experts to guide model development and ensure outputs align with underwriting standards. She illustrated potential productivity gains, suggesting that automating routine work could enable an underwriter to process ten to thirty times more applications.

The broader implication is a hybrid underwriting model where AI drives efficiency while human judgment safeguards trust and credibility. Insurers that successfully integrate AI while preserving expert oversight will likely gain a competitive edge, retain institutional knowledge, and meet evolving regulatory expectations.

Original Description

Susan Ghalili, SVP and chief underwriting officer at Pacific Life, explains how insights from the 2026 Underwriting Outlook Survey show insurers embracing AI as a powerful tool to enhance efficiency and decision-making while emphasizing that human expertise remains essential to maintaining trust, credibility, and sound risk assessment.