Employers Lead AI Adoption in Benefits, but Employee Trust Lags — Prudential Financial, Inc.

Event summary

83% of employers are interested in using AI for benefits support, but only 24% of employees currently use it.
51% of employees view AI positively, compared to 78% of employers, creating a 27-point perception gap.
65% of employees are comfortable with employers managing their personal data for benefits personalization.
Unionized employees (40%) and salaried employees (27%) show higher AI adoption rates than other workforce segments.

The big picture

Prudential’s study highlights a growing divide between employer enthusiasm for AI in benefits management and employee reluctance driven by trust issues. This tension could slow adoption, even as insurers push AI as a solution to simplify complex benefits decisions. With $1.6 trillion in AUM, Prudential’s findings reflect broader industry challenges in balancing innovation with workforce confidence.

What we're watching

Trust Building: How Prudential and other insurers will address employee skepticism around AI accuracy, ethics, and job displacement.
Segmented Adoption: Whether higher adoption among unionized and salaried employees signals a broader trend in workforce segmentation.
Regulatory Scrutiny: The pace at which regulators may intervene as AI-driven benefits personalization raises privacy concerns.