Manulife has been recognized as the top life insurance company for artificial intelligence maturity for the second year in a row, according to the 2026 Evident AI Index for Insurance. The company also secured the first position in Canada, ranked first in the AI Leadership category, and placed third overall among all insurers evaluated.
Recognition Highlights AI-Driven Strategy
The accolades underscore Manulife's commitment to becoming an AI-powered organization, scaling innovation across its global operations to deliver measurable business value. Phil Witherington, President and CEO of Manulife, stated that this recognition validates the company's refreshed enterprise strategy and its focus on disciplined execution and responsible deployment of AI technologies.
Manulife expects to generate more than $1 billion in enterprise value from its AI initiatives by 2027, with $300 million already achieved as of the end of 2025. These efforts are improving productivity, efficiency, and delivering real impact for customers, colleagues, and shareholders.
Deployment of AI Use Cases
According to Evident, Manulife has disclosed more deployed AI use cases than any other insurer in the index. Key examples include:
- Manulife Automated Underwriting Decision Engine (MAUDE) in Canada, which processes over half of eligible individual life insurance applications automatically, providing decisions in as little as two minutes.
- John Hancock's Quick Quote, which simplifies and accelerates the insurance quoting experience.
- AI-enabled tools within Manulife Wealth & Asset Management to enhance investment insights and decision-making.
- AI-driven capabilities across Asia, including digital underwriting, claims management, AI assistants for distribution partners, and personalized customer experiences.
Evident AI Index Assessment
The Evident AI Index for Insurance evaluates AI maturity among 30 leading insurance companies in North America and Europe across four categories: Talent, Innovation, Leadership, and Transparency. This year's results reflect a higher industry standard as insurers shift from capability building to scaled deployment and optimization.
Manulife ranked first in the Leadership pillar and achieved strong scores in Transparency, with Evident citing consistent executive engagement, industry influence, and a transparent approach.
Jodie Wallis, Global Chief AI Officer at Manulife, noted that the recognition reflects the depth of AI integration across the company and the deliberate scaling of its impact. The focus remains on practical, responsible applications of AI that deliver measurable outcomes, underpinned by robust governance that is increasingly automated and embedded into AI development and use.
