Insurance Leaders Can Leverage AI to Become Industry Influencers

A group of insurance executives met recently for a company meeting. Following their discussions of sales and product development plans, they attended training to become thought leaders. To start the session, the facilitator asked several questions of the group. “How many of you have ever liked a LinkedIn post?” Almost everyone’s hands went up. “How many of you have ever commented on a LinkedIn post?” Fewer hands went up, and most said their comments generally consisted of congratulations for a promotion or job move.

Executive Summary

When insurance leaders share ideas and points of view that make people think, they don’t just become visible and memorable experts in their fields. They can also grow their businesses by becoming top of mind with clients, prospects and partners.

But how do they start? And where can they find the time?

Here Clare DeNicola, principal of the10company, offers some guidelines for would-be influencers to get some help from AI. Importantly, she also lists some AI don’ts, such as using AI to create a final product and losing your authentic voice in the process.

And the last question, “How many of you have shared your own posts on LinkedIn?” elicited just two raised hands.

This isn’t uncommon. This room was filled with experts in emerging technology, underwriting, claims, personal lines processes and commercial lines processes. Collectively, they had significant knowledge and many ideas to share. Yet most had never contributed any of those insights externally. Some said they weren’t exactly sure what to do or how to do it. Others said they didn’t have the time to do it.

Insurance is changing rapidly, and there are more opportunities than ever for executives to make their voices heard. AI, climate risk, shifting customer expectations and regulatory pressures are just some of the relevant issues driving industry discussions. And there’s a big appetite for subject matter expert commentary on issues like these in the media, including insurance trade magazines and podcasts, at conferences and events, and on social media.

The benefits for both the individuals and the companies they work for are clear. Would-be thought leaders become more well known as experts in their fields. When they’re sharing new ideas and points of view that make people think, they’re visible and memorable. And when they produce good content that’s also shared on social media, it can result in business growth, putting them top of mind with clients, prospects and partners.

AI Changes the Game

For leaders, time is the scarcest resource. Drafting an article, preparing a presentation or even shaping a LinkedIn post often means hours away from other work. Enter artificial intelligence. AI tools—both generic ones, like ChatGPT or CoPilot, and domain-specific solutions—can reduce the time required to turn ideas into content. Executives can lean on intelligent tools to:

Pull key data from transcripts and research papers.
Provide a first draft of LinkedIn posts, blogs or article outlines.
Suggest headlines or talking points for presentations and panel discussions.

AI tools don’t just speed up the process. They can provide a head start, quickly turning raw ideas into usable content. And the benefits extend beyond efficiency. AI-powered thought leadership can:

Surface insights others might overlook, bringing hidden patterns to light.
Position the executive as an early voice on emerging issues.
Amplify expertise across multiple platforms, consistently.
Build stronger connections by keeping leaders’ perspectives present in the conversation.

Simple Ways to Get Started

Getting started as a thought leader isn’t complicated—it just takes focus and consistency. Begin by choosing a few issues you care about, whether it’s AI in underwriting, innovation in risk management, customer trust or leadership in times of change. Include topics from professional organizations and volunteer work. Then go a level deeper to develop your point of view. To do that, consider asking yourself:

What’s changing or what should peers be watching?
Do I have thoughts about this issue that are less talked about?
Can I tell stories or provide examples that paint a picture for people about what this means?

The key is to make sure there are issues you are passionate about. Stick with them, repeat them and layer them into your content until people start to associate those topics with you.

Questions to Get Started

Budding thought leaders often don’t know where to start. It can be helpful to begin with a set of questions to help identify 3-4 key issues to focus on:

What’s the biggest misconception about our industry—or specialty?

Where do I see change coming faster than most expect?

Which lessons from volunteer work, mentorship or community leadership shape my view of business?

What book, podcast or article challenged how I think this year?

Is there something I see in my work that I haven’t seen mentioned or talked about?

What am I hearing from customers—what are they worried about?

Once you know your topics, content development is easier. You’ll want to blend professional insights with personal interests or anecdotes. That mix makes your thought leadership feel relatable and memorable.

AI can be your partner in the process. Let it draft, summarize or suggest headlines—but remember, you’re the editor. The weight comes from your perspective, not the tool.

Start small. Comment thoughtfully on LinkedIn posts to test your ideas in public. From there, work your way into short blogs, podcasts, panels and eventually bylined articles. To keep ideas flowing, set Google Alerts on your chosen topics, keep a running list of client questions and jot down stories you often tell in conversation. Inspiration is easier to capture when you have a system in place.

Most importantly, aim for authenticity. Share in your own voice, even if you’re going against the grain. Use personal stories—both successes and failures. Influence doesn’t come from polish; it comes from using your voice, vulnerability and connection.

Cutting Through the Noise

It’s conference season in the insurance industry. And with that comes a whirlwind of group photos, airplane seat shots and booth pics on LinkedIn. Along with the photos are posts like, “It’s Day 1 of the conference. We can’t wait to meet you.”

There’s nothing wrong with these posts. They tell you where people are, and they often rack up likes from industry connections. But they don’t make people think, and they don’t build credibility.

This is where new ideas can really stand out. When you’re providing insights that spark questions or shift perspectives, you set yourself apart. Maybe it’s the surprising trend you spotted in distribution data. Maybe it’s the regulation no one is talking about but should be. Maybe it’s the operational friction you see every day that deserves attention.

If you’re at a meeting, don’t just post the booth shot but offer highlights from the conversations you’re having. This is the kind of content that makes your network stop scrolling and think, “I hadn’t considered that.”

The insurance world needs authentic, trusted voices willing to cut through the noise with candor, insight and a clear point of view. Executives who embrace that role—using AI to accelerate but not replace their perspectives—become influencers.

Borrowing From the Pop Culture Influencer Playbook

When people hear the word influencer, it brings to mind YouTubers unboxing sneakers or TikTokers reviewing skincare products. But the dynamics that make those voices powerful—visibility, consistency and community—apply just as much in the insurance industry.

AI don’ts for insurance influencers

Don’t post unedited AI-generated content. It may be clean, but it often lacks edge, personal experience and your voice.

Don’t jam your feed with generic insights just because AI suggested them. Authentic perspective is much more important than frequency.

Don’t let AI take your voice away. Even the best model can’t replace your experience, stories and lessons learned.

Don’t ignore the mix. Balance company news with your own industry insights.

Editor’s Note: Carrier Management, like other publications, has publication-specific guidelines about the use of AI. See guideline No. 2 on our Submission Guidelines page.

Think about what successful influencers actually do. They pick a few themes and return to them again and again until their audience associates them with those ideas. They interact with their followers instead of just broadcasting. They share personal takes, not generic commentary. Over time, that combination makes them memorable, trusted and worth following.

Insurance leaders can borrow from that playbook. An underwriter who posts regularly about market shifts can become the go-to person for trend analysis. A claims executive who explains emerging risks in plain language could quickly become a sought-after voice for media interviews and conference panels. A distribution leader who connects the dots between new technology and revenue growth has the chance to stand out.

The more you can show up consistently, talk about the things you know best and engage in a way that feels authentic, the more memorable and visible you will be. Do that long enough, and you’ll become famous—at least in the insurance community.