Download the New Report: The AI-Powered Insurer

Venture clienting Amplifying success Research Journal The Crew
Let's talk!

Shaping Tomorrow’s Insurance with Marina Belezina: Aviva’s Human-Centered Approach to Generative AI

Episode #37

In this episode, we explore Aviva's innovative approach to artificial intelligence, guided by insights from Marina Belezina. We discuss the impact of generative AI-powered tools within Aviva, and how the company is fostering a culture of training and collaboration with fintech partners. The conversation delves into ethical AI frameworks and Aviva's future goals, highlighting the importance of balancing technological innovation with human-centered values. The episode concludes with reflections on these themes and their implications for the future.

Chapters:

0:00

Introduction to the episode and topic

1:14

Marina Belezina's background and Aviva’s approach to artificial intelligence

3:21

Generative AI-powered tools and their impact at Aviva

4:40

Training, culture, and fintech collaborations at Aviva

5:52

Ethical AI frameworks and future goals at Aviva

7:04

Balancing innovation with human-centered values

7:45

Closing remarks and conclusion

 

Key Points:

  • Aviva is leveraging generative artificial intelligence to enhance customer service, improve operational efficiency, and drive innovation within the insurance industry.
  • The company is committed to a human-centered approach, providing employees with AI tools, fostering a culture of curiosity, and ensuring ethical deployment of technology.
  • Through strategic partnerships and continuous innovation, Aviva aims to remain at the forefront of the digital transformation in insurance, focusing on personalized customer experiences and employee empowerment.

 

Transcript:

Welcome to another episode of Beyond Tech Frontiers, where we delve deep into the mechanics of disruptive innovation, market trends, the future of work, and ethical technology. I am Sabine VanderLinden, your host, and today we have a fascinating episode lined up for you. We'll explore how cutting-edge technology is reshaping traditional industries, specifically focusing on the insurance sector. In this episode, we'll discuss "Shaping Tomorrow’s Insurance with Marina Belezina: Aviva’s Human-Centered Approach to Generative Artificial Intelligence."

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Marina Belezina at InsurTech Insights 2025. Marina is Aviva's Group Director of Strategy and Innovation and is at the forefront of integrating generative artificial intelligence into Aviva's operations. Our discussion was titled "Shaping Tomorrow’s Insurance: Aviva’s Human-Centered Approach to Generative Artificial Intelligence," and it was an enlightening conversation about Aviva's ambitious vision for leveraging cutting-edge technology while maintaining a strong focus on human values and customer-centricity.

Marina Belezina is a visionary leader with over two decades of experience in financial services. She holds a Master of Business Administration from London Business School and has spent nearly 20 years at the strategic advisory firm Marakon. At Aviva, she began her journey from chief of staff to group chief executive officer, Amanda Blanc, before transitioning to her current role, overseeing strategy and innovation. Her extensive background equips her well to drive Aviva’s innovation agenda.

During our chat, Marina outlined Aviva’s structured approach to integrating generative artificial intelligence, which is built around three horizons. The first horizon is 'Enhance,' which aims to improve existing processes to make them more efficient and deploy productivity tools to employees. The second is 'Transform,' where Aviva experiments with more transformative use cases to reimagine and automate key processes. Finally, the 'Reimagine' horizon leverages artificial intelligence to fundamentally reshape the future across three core vectors: an artificial intelligence-enabled workforce, artificial intelligence-automated operations, and artificial intelligence-infused customer experiences and propositions.

Aviva’s journey with artificial intelligence is not new; they have leveraged traditional artificial intelligence technology for almost a decade. Currently, seventy percent of Aviva’s United Kingdom Personal Lines business is underwritten with machine learning. However, the advent of generative artificial intelligence has opened up new possibilities for innovation and efficiency. One of the most impactful implementations has been in claims processing. Marina highlighted a generative artificial intelligence-powered claims summarization tool, significantly improving customer service.

Marina says, "Our claims summarization tool has reduced call-handling time by at least ten percent, and four in ten motor claims agents are already using it. It allows them to engage with customers more effectively and resolve issues faster." The tool provides a clear history of customer interactions and summarizes key details of the claim, enabling agents to provide more personalized and efficient service. This is a perfect example of how technology can enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities.

A crucial aspect of Aviva's artificial intelligence strategy is its focus on empowering employees. The company has provided artificial intelligence tools, such as Microsoft Copilot Chat to all twenty-five thousand colleagues and GitHub Copilot to all one thousand seven hundred developers, to encourage experimentation and innovation. Marina emphasized the importance of culture in driving this transformation: "Technology alone is not enough; it requires a supportive culture and leadership commitment. We’re focused on replacing any fear of artificial intelligence with curiosity and excitement."

To support this cultural shift, Aviva has implemented comprehensive training programs for colleagues and organizes annual hackathons and innovation events to foster creativity and agility across the organization. It's all about creating an environment where employees feel comfortable experimenting and pushing the boundaries of what's possible with artificial intelligence.

Aviva’s approach to innovation extends beyond its walls. In the past year alone, the company has introduced over eighty new financial technology companies to Aviva stakeholders. These partnerships have led to the development of various artificial intelligence-powered tools, from automated board meeting minutes to more streamlined content compliance. One notable example is Fabric, a start-up that uses artificial intelligence for pension tracing. Fabric was first incubated by Aviva through their partnership with Founders Factory, and was subsequently acquired. Today, the tool is an important service in Aviva’s wealth business and is being further enhanced with generative artificial intelligence capabilities.

Throughout our discussion, Marina emphasized Aviva's commitment to ethical artificial intelligence deployment. The company has established robust frameworks for risk management and ethical artificial intelligence use, ensuring that all artificial intelligence tools are designed with ethics in mind and comply with regulations. "We’re proceeding cautiously but ambitiously," Marina stated. "Our focus is on augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them. We want to ensure that artificial intelligence enhances our ability to provide empathetic, personalized service to our customers."

As Aviva continues to push the boundaries of generative artificial intelligence integration in insurance, Marina outlined the company’s goals for the near future: scaling generative artificial intelligence adoption across customer service, claims, and underwriting; measuring success through improved customer outcomes, growth, and operational efficiency; and maintaining Aviva's position at the forefront of generative artificial intelligence innovation by moving quickly and iteratively.

Aviva's approach to artificial intelligence integration, as articulated by Marina Belezina, represents a thoughtful balance between technological innovation and human-centered values. By focusing on enhancing customer experiences, empowering employees, and fostering a culture of innovation, Aviva is positioning itself as a leader in the digital transformation of the insurance industry. As the company continues to explore the potential of generative artificial intelligence, it remains committed to collaboration, responsible deployment, and maintaining the trust of its customers.

With leaders like Marina Belezina at the helm, Aviva is well-positioned to shape the future of insurance in an artificial intelligence-driven world. Marina, thank you for joining me on InsurTech Insights' main stage on March 20, 2025. I cannot wait to see the replay.

That brings us to the end of this insightful episode of Beyond Tech Frontiers. I hope you enjoyed our deep dive into Aviva's human-centered approach to generative artificial intelligence and how it's shaping the future of insurance. If you found this episode valuable, make sure to subscribe and join us next time as we continue to explore the frontiers of technology and innovation. Thanks for listening, and until next time, this is Sabine VanderLinden signing off.