A new study shows that employers are likely to significantly increase the use of AI in health benefits, even as they continue to face barriers in deploying the technology.
WTW surveyed 312 employers with approximately 4.6 million workers for its 2026 AI Use in Health and Benefits Study and found that 72% of companies surveyed plan to incorporate AI into their benefits programs over the next two years. In contrast, only 20% said they currently do so.
Employers cited several key areas where they believe AI will support benefits functions, including improved communication, cited by 68%, and data insights and analysis, cited by 59%. Additionally, 57% of those surveyed said AI is likely to support greater personalization.
jeff chandler, These top priorities are all “areas where AI can significantly improve the way benefits teams make decisions and support their employees,” WTW’s North American commercialization leader for health and benefits said in a press release.
“AI is rapidly moving from pilot to production in health and benefits, and employers are thinking carefully about where they expect AI to bring value,” Chandler said. “But ambition alone is not enough; scaling AI responsibly requires the right foundation.”
And this research highlights the gap between employers’ AI ambitions and their readiness to achieve those goals. 71% of benefits teams said they have “limited or no access” to the internal resources and skills needed to effectively implement AI, even if they exist elsewhere in the organization.
Employers also cited safety and security concerns in implementing AI. For example, 70% cited data privacy and security as a primary concern, 66% cited AI errors, and 64% cited regulatory compliance and fiduciary exposure.
Additionally, just 1% of employers said they have a fully developed AI or governance roadmap specific to their benefits, while 56% said they were in the process of creating one.
WTW found that early adopters of this technology, or approximately 16% of employers, are taking the lead in identifying potential solutions. First-to-enter players tend to have established clearer strategies, roadmaps, and governance frameworks.
WTW has also found that they are looking for reliable external partners who can drive faster impact in the short term.
“While adoption remains uneven, the scale of the planned investments suggests that AI will soon be integrated into core benefits operations,” Jeff Levin Schertz, WTW’s population health leader for NA, Health and Benefits, said in a press release. “Evidence from early adopters suggests that organizations need a clear roadmap, access to the right expertise, and strong governance to manage risk and turn AI ambitions into real outcomes.”
