Sumitomo Life Explores AI Tools to Modernize Insurance Sales Operations
Sumitomo Life Insurance is turning to artificial intelligence to bolster its sales operations as Japan's insurance sector faces sweeping reforms. The company's president, Yukinori Takada, sees generative AI as a solution to streamline agent workflows and reduce reliance on traditional staff secondments—a practice now under regulatory scrutiny.
Recent scandals involving loaned employees have prompted stricter oversight from Japan's Financial Services Agency. The industry's pivot toward insurtech could prove transformative, with projections suggesting the life insurance market may reach $371 billion by 2029. This shift reflects broader trends in financial services where digital transformation is becoming imperative.