How should insurers design for AI agents, manage model choice, and modernise legacy applications at scale? In this episode, experts from Microsoft Financial Services share practical insights from recent industry discussions at Tech Connect.

The conversation explores the shift from tooling to intelligence, highlighting the importance of organisational data as a foundation for agentic AI. The speakers discuss how Microsoft 365 data represents a major untapped source of organisational intelligence and why trust, governance, and security must be built into AI systems from the outset.

A key theme is the evolution of large language models, with a focus on using multiple models for different tasks rather than relying on a single approach. The episode compares this to human workforce allocation and explains why flexibility and interoperability will be critical in future AI platforms.

The discussion also examines agent lifecycle management, including how organisations can design governance frameworks, monitor autonomous systems, and balance human and agent workloads. The speakers highlight emerging thinking around whether agent ownership sits within IT, HR, or a new hybrid function.

Application modernisation is another core topic, with insights into how AI-driven tooling can significantly accelerate the transformation of legacy systems. The episode references demonstrations where AI-assisted development reduces timelines from months to weeks, particularly for complex insurance environments.

Finally, the episode covers confidential computing and the importance of security across the full technology stack, including hardware-level protections for regulated industries.

Guest Speaker: Sudi Naidoo, Microsoft Account Technology Strategist