If you’d told a room full of risk-averse insurance executives five years ago that nearly half of UK consumers would soon welcome health advice from AI, you’d have been met with serious skepticism, if not outright laughter.
Our latest report shows that 49% of UK respondents would take health recommendations from AI, with 36% open to financial advice and 40% willing to accept insurance suggestions.
The shift is a wake-up call.
To be clear, I’m not advocating for AI to replace doctors, advisers or brokers. But what the research has uncovered is more interesting: consumers are already crossing that line themselves. The trust threshold, that digital Rubicon, has been crossed. And it raises urgent questions for brands and regulators alike.
If people are prepared to make high-stakes decisions based on machine recommendations and AI tools, organizations must rethink how they communicate with transparency, accountability and humanity front and center.
CTO of Smart Communications.
A shift in expectation
Consumer behavior change in the last decade has been relentless, with high expectations set by the frictionless experiences of eCommerce giants and streaming platforms. Now, even in traditionally cautious sectors like healthcare and finance, people want the same speed, ease and responsiveness.
And they expect the communications to match the seamlessness and immediacy of the service. In other words: the way organizations communicate is now as important as what they deliver.
Research shows that nearly seven in ten insurance consumers would walk away from a brand if its communications fell short. That number has risen sharply, from 51% in 2023 to 67% in 2025.
The message is loud and clear: it’s how you talk to people that matters.
That includes AI. In 2024, 77% of consumers wanted clear disclosure when AI was involved in customer communications. A year later, that figure has plunged to just 37%.
On the surface, it looks like comfort is growing. But that drop says more about shifting expectations than confidence: consumers are getting used to AI being part of the conversation, but they still want reassurance that it’s being used responsibly.
Consider that while just under half of UK consumers say they’re actually willing to trust AI, and in financial services, nearly half of those respondents say AI-generated content should always be checked by a human.
That’s why clarity, control and human oversight are non-negotiable, for both compliance and trust in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Where trust gets tested
So how does this play out in reality?
This is where many organizations slip up. Not by using AI, but by using it in a way that feels impersonal: generic messaging, disconnected channels and clunky digital journeys. These things erode trust at the exact moment customers are willing to place more of it in your hands.
So, what can you do to grow trust?
From communication to conversation
The brands that will thrive in this AI-enabled future will be the ones who stay human, who treat communication as a conversation, not a transaction.
This starts with modernizing omnichannel experiences, how brands communicate across channels like email, web, mobile and more, in ways that feel seamless and connected. Data shows that only 54% of UK consumers are satisfied with how brands deliver across channels. Yet 60% say they would trust companies more if those experiences were consistent.
It’s not just a UX issue. It’s a trust issue.
AI, when used well, can be part of the solution. From intelligent data capture to personalized, real-time messaging, AI can help organizations move from one-way broadcasts to contextual, responsive conversations. But only if those experiences are designed with transparency, human oversight and consistent brand voice across every channel. That’s where trust is built and where the real value of AI begins.
But even the smartest communications strategy can fall apart if the most basic interactions, like submitting a form, are broken.
Don’t let bad forms break the journey
One of the most overlooked and most damaging elements of the customer journey is data intake. In insurance, 65% of customers say they’ll abandon an interaction if providing documentation is too difficult. Among Millennials and Gen Z, that number jumps to over 70%.
This isn’t a surprise. In a world of voice-responsive Gen-AI platforms and real-time chat, handing someone a PDF feels antiquated; Gen Z would tell you it’s an insult. Increasingly, we’re seeing younger generations turn to platforms like TikTok for financial guidance. These channels offer bite-sized, easily digestible content that fits their lifestyle far better than booking an appointment with a traditional financial advisor.
But the solution here isn’t just digital forms. It’s smarter, guided, mobile-friendly experiences that adapt to each unique context and channel. This is where AI can shine: streamlining processes without stripping away the human touch. It’s about using technology to reduce friction, not automating away relationships.
The moment of opportunity is now
Let’s be clear: AI isn’t a fix-all. Yes, it’s a powerful tool, but not a replacement for the emotional intelligence, empathy and judgement that define real communication and forge real bonds.
The moment we’re living in is rare: consumers are more open to AI than ever and their expectations are rapidly changing. The organizations that rise to meet these expectations, without overpromising or hiding behind the tech, stand to earn something that’s increasingly scarce: genuine, lasting trust.
If nearly half the country is ready to take life advice from AI, the question for brands isn’t should you evolve? It’s how fast you can evolve, and how human can you stay along the way?
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