Overview
The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute conducted a Spring 2026 AI Survey as the second wave of a recurring study designed to track how actuaries use, learn about, and perceive Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Results were compared with the inaugural 2025 survey to identify changes in AI engagement, perceived benefits and barriers, learning and organizational support, governance practices, and attitudes toward Generative AI. The Spring survey findings suggest that the actuarial profession is progressing from initial exploration toward more practical and structured AI adoption.
To maintain consistency between survey years, experience-based comparisons are limited to respondents with 10 or fewer years of experience and more than 10 years of experience.
Key Findings
The Spring 2026 survey findings suggest that the actuarial profession is progressing from initial exploration toward more practical and structured AI adoption. Approximately 60% of respondents in both experience groups reported using enterprise AI models provided or licensed by their organizations. Respondents expressed strong interest in understanding how AI can be applied in actuarial practice, incorporated into day-to-day workflows, evaluated and validated, and used responsibly.
Key findings include:
- AI engagement increased.
- AI applications are expanding.
- The perceived value of AI is broadening.
- Organizational barriers are evolving. Regulatory and compliance risks, skill gaps, and unclear return on investment remained relevant barriers.
- Demand for practical AI education remains strong.
- Organizational support is gradually becoming more formal.
- Enterprise AI has become relatively widespread.
- AI governance is becoming more active and structured.
- Acceptance of Generative AI is gradually increasing.
- Professional judgment remains central to survey respondents' views of AI.
As future waves of the survey are conducted, the longitudinal results will provide further insight into whether the noted patterns will continue, how AI applications evolve, and how organizations and actuaries adapt governance, education and professional practices.
Podcast
SOA Member AI Survey – Spring 2026
Acknowledgements
The researchers’ deepest gratitude goes to those without whose efforts this project could not have come to fruition: the Project Oversight Group for their diligent oversight of this project and substantive review of this study for relevance.
Project Oversight Group members:
- Carlos Arocha, FSA
- Andrew Azeredo, ASA, MAAA
- Donna Novak, FCA, ASA, MAAA, MBA
- Mason Roberts, FSA, MBA
At the Society of Actuaries Research Institute:
- Korrel Crawford, Senior Research Administrator
FAQs
Accuracy and hallucinations emerged as the most frequently identified risk management and governance concern in 2026. Data and model biases, ethics, explainability, cybersecurity, and compliance remained important.
Time savings remained the most frequently reported benefit of AI across both the 2025 and 2026 surveys, with approximately four out of five respondents in both experience groups identifying it as a primary advantage.