Suncorp Group has announced a five-year partnership with Microsoft to expand its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology in its insurance operations.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of AI-driven solutions to streamline internal processes, enhance customer interactions, and support operational improvements.
Building on Suncorp’s existing technology infrastructure, the partnership focuses on embedding AI at scale within the organisation.
One of the early implementations includes Smart Knowledge, a tool that delivers context-specific information to Suncorp’s contact centre teams during customer interactions. Another initiative uses Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to summarise claim details, helping claims managers save between five and 30 minutes per review, depending on complexity.
Adam Bennett (pictured), Suncorp’s chief information officer, highlighted the significance of the partnership in advancing the company’s digital capabilities.
“Having established the right foundations through cloud migration, engineering excellence, digitisation, and automation, we are now working together to safely deploy GenAI as scale and transform our end-to-end operations,” he said.
Suncorp plans to roll out 20 new AI applications within the current financial year, supported by an AI Steering Committee to ensure responsible use. This committee oversees governance, ethical considerations, and risk management for all AI implementations.
In addition to its Microsoft collaboration, Suncorp has partnered with Duck Creek Technologies to upgrade its insurance platforms with cloud-based systems.
The multi-year initiative will replace legacy systems with Duck Creek’s low-code solutions, focusing on policy administration, billing, and data analytics.
The project aims to simplify operations and improve customer service by enabling faster product development and more efficient decision-making processes.
Duck Creek’s modular OnDemand platform is designed to improve automation and optimise the use of data.
Suncorp’s investments in AI and cloud technology align with a broader trend of digital transformation in the Australian insurance market.
A Deloitte report has emphasised the need for insurers to adopt new technologies and collaborate with insurtech providers to remain competitive.
At the same time, increased reliance on digital tools presents risks. Lockton Australia has urged insurers to implement strong governance frameworks to address potential issues such as data breaches, operational disruptions, and system failures.
Through its partnerships with Microsoft and Duck Creek, Suncorp aims to balance innovation with risk management. These efforts include extensive employee training and oversight mechanisms to ensure the effective and ethical deployment of new technologies.
