Manulife Earns Top Spot for AI Maturity in Life Insurance Sector According to Evident AI Index

Manulife Tops AI Maturity Rankings in Life Insurance Sector

Manulife has been recognized as the number one life insurance company for artificial intelligence (AI) maturity by Evident USA. In the inaugural Evident AI Index for Insurance, Manulife ranked within the top five across the entire insurance industry and was one of only three companies to place in the top 10 in every category evaluated.

Phil Witherington, President and CEO of Manulife, emphasized the company’s early and sustained commitment to AI. He noted that this recognition confirms Manulife’s trajectory toward generating tangible growth, productivity improvements, and enhanced financial results through disciplined and principled AI integration.

How Evident Measures AI Maturity

The Evident AI Index for Insurance benchmarks 30 leading insurance firms across North America and Europe. It evaluates progress in four key areas:

• Talent: The skills and expertise driving AI initiatives.
• Innovation: The development and application of AI technologies.
• Leadership: Executive support and strategic investment in AI.
• Transparency: Openness about AI use and governance.

This comprehensive index covers life, property and casualty, composite, and reinsurance companies, providing the industry’s most thorough AI maturity benchmark.

Manulife’s Strength in Leadership and Transparency

Manulife excelled particularly in Leadership and Transparency, reflecting strong executive backing and adherence to Responsible AI Principles. Jodie Wallis, Manulife’s Global Chief AI Officer, highlighted how AI is embedded at the core of their global operations. Their approach focuses on responsible, practical AI deployments that deliver real results for customers and employees alike.

Alexandra Mousavizadeh, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Evident, praised Manulife’s multi-year investment in AI, noting that their leadership and transparency set a standard for the wider insurance industry.

Impact and Future Outlook

Karen Leggett, Manulife’s Global Chief Marketing Officer, explained that the company’s AI efforts are transforming operations and creating value across multiple areas. This drives their mission to help customers live longer, healthier, and wealthier lives.

Manulife anticipates that digital investments, including AI enhancements, will deliver a threefold return on investment by 2027. Already, over $600 million in benefits were realized in 2024 from global digital customer initiatives.

Upcoming Event and Resources

Jodie Wallis will participate in The Evident AI Insurance Index Launch Roundtable on June 24, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:00 am ET. Interested professionals can register for the virtual event here.

More information about Manulife’s AI progress is available at manulife.com/AI. The full Evident AI Index report and methodology can be found at evidentinsights.com.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Operating as Manulife in Canada, Asia, and Europe, and as John Hancock in the United States, the company offers insurance and financial advice for individuals, groups, and businesses. Through Manulife Wealth & Asset Management, it provides global investment, financial advice, and retirement services.

By the end of 2024, Manulife employed over 37,000 people, worked with more than 109,000 agents, and served over 36 million customers worldwide. It trades publicly under the ticker 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and Philippine stock exchanges, and as '945' in Hong Kong.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This article contains forward-looking statements about Manulife’s use of digital and AI capabilities, including expected benefits and financial outcomes. Actual results may differ due to various risks such as changes in economic conditions, regulations, and the company’s ability to execute digital strategies. For more details on risks and assumptions, refer to Manulife’s most recent filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulators.