Employers set to rapidly expand AI use in health and benefits, but execution gaps remain: WTW survey

Most employers plan to embed AI into benefits operations within two years — yet lack resources, governance and readiness to scale responsibly

New York, NY (May 19, 2026) – Employers are preparing to significantly expand their use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health and benefits over the next two years, according to a new survey from leading global advisory, broking and solutions company WTW. While most organizations remain in the early stages of adoption today, planned investment signals that AI is poised to become a core component of benefits operations — particularly to improve communication (68%), data analytics and insights (59%), and personalized support (57%) – even as employers grapple with resource constraints and risk concerns.

WTW’s 2026 AI Use in Health and Benefits Survey found that AI use in benefits currently trails broader enterprise adoption. Today, just 20% of employers report actively operationalizing AI within their benefits programs. However, that figure is expected to rise drastically, with nearly three-quarters (72%) planning to embed AI in their benefits programs within the next two years, signaling a rapid shift from experimentation to execution.

“AI is moving quickly from pilots to practical application in health and benefits, and employers are deliberate about where they expect it to deliver value,” said Jeff Chandler, North America Commercialization leader, Health & Benefits, WTW. “The strongest demand is around improving communication, analytics and decision support — areas where AI can materially improve how benefits teams make decisions and support employees. But ambition alone isn’t enough. Scaling AI responsibly requires the right foundations.”

Early adopters show what’s possible — and what’s required

The survey found that early adopters, representing about 16% of employers, are already setting the pace. These organizations are significantly more likely to have clear AI strategies, roadmaps and governance frameworks in place and are focused on initiatives that enhance the employee experience while driving efficiency — particularly through improved communication, personalization, decision support and analytics.

While early adopters report stronger internal AI capabilities, many are also leveraging external partners to accelerate near‑term impact, especially in areas such as claims monitoring, auditing and evaluation. Their experience highlights both the potential of AI in benefits and the importance of pairing innovation with oversight.

Impact is expected — but readiness lags

Once implemented, employers expect AI to deliver meaningful positive impact across a wide range of health and welfare activities. Respondents expect AI to have either a large or moderate positive impact in the next two years, including benefits operations, analytics and insights, communication and support and governance and strategy.

Despite this optimism, the survey highlighted a significant gap between ambition and execution. Most benefit teams (71%) report having only limited or no access to the internal AI resources and skills needed to deploy AI effectively, even when enterprise‑level AI capabilities exist elsewhere in the organization.

This gap is compounded by persistent concerns around risk. Employers cite data privacy and security (70%), AI mistakes or errors (66%) and legal compliance and fiduciary exposure (64%) as their top barriers. Today, just 1% of organizations report having a fully developed AI roadmap or formal governance framework specific to benefits, although more than half (56%) say they are developing or exploring one.

“Looking ahead, employers overwhelmingly believe AI will fundamentally change how benefits are managed and delivered over the next five years,” said Jeff Levin-Scherz, Population Health Leader, NA, Health & Benefits, WTW. “While adoption remains uneven today, the scale of planned investment suggests AI will soon become embedded in core benefits operations. Evidence from early adopters suggests that organizations need clear roadmaps, access to the right expertise and strong governance to manage risk and turn AI ambition into real outcomes.”

About the survey

A total of 312 employers with 4.6 million U.S. employees participated in the 2026 AI Use in Health and Benefits Survey, which was conducted in January and February of 2026.

About WTW

At WTW (NASDAQ: WLTW), we provide data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk and capital. Leveraging the global view and local expertise of our colleagues serving 140 countries and markets, we help organisations sharpen their strategy, enhance organisational resilience, motivate their workforce and maximise performance. Working shoulder to shoulder with our clients, we uncover opportunities for sustainable success—and provide perspective that moves you. For more information, visit www.wtwco.com.

SOURCE: WTW

Tags: Artificial Intelligence (AI), benefits, survey, Willis Towers Watson (WTW)