Insurance brokers face a dual reality from artificial intelligence-disruption and opportunity-and the difference will come down to how they integrate the technology into their work, according to Will Johnson, CEO and cofounder of Gyde. Speaking at the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals annual convention in Atlantic City, N.J., Johnson outlined a path where AI becomes an extension of a broker's team, not a replacement.
AI as a force multiplier
Johnson described AI as "an active workforce of agents that can support research, coordination, communication and execution like an extension of your team." This shift allows brokers to spend more time directly with clients. "AI is a force multiplier for your business," he said. "It gives you more capacity without bringing in more headcount."
Brokers are already applying AI to enrollment and onboarding, client service, and ongoing engagement. These applications, part of the broader AI Agents & Automation trend, free up human brokers for higher-value interactions.
The human-AI partnership
Johnson pushed back against the fear that AI will eliminate broker jobs. "The winning formula is not humans versus AI but humans plus AI," he said. The goal is not to replace the human element but to augment it, letting technology handle repetitive tasks while brokers apply judgment and relationship skills.
Industry survival and the retirement gap
The adoption of AI carries urgency beyond efficiency. Johnson pointed to a demographic crisis: "There are six agents retiring for every agent coming in to the business. We need to find ways to serve our population and AI can help." Without new approaches, the broker workforce could shrink to a point where client needs go unmet. AI offers a way to maintain service levels with fewer people.
For brokers already using AI for Insurance, the technology handles routine coordination, letting them focus on strategic client conversations.
Why this matters for insurance professionals
The message from Atlantic City is clear: brokers who treat AI as a partner, not a threat, can expand their capacity and protect their business against a shrinking talent pool. The immediate step is to identify repetitive tasks in client service and enrollment that AI can take over, then invest time in the human work that builds trust and drives revenue.
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