Intelligence. Connection. Excellence. (Indeed, This Is Our Time.)

After three inspiring days at Guidewire Connections 2025 in Las Vegas, it’s clear that our industry is not just evolving — it’s accelerating into a new era of connection, intelligence, and excellence.

With more than 3,400 professionals from 33 countries — including insurers, partners, industry analysts, and technology leaders — the event confirmed its status as the premier gathering for the global Property & Casualty Tech ecosystem. The energy across sessions, demos, and conversations reflected a shared conviction: the future of insurance will be smart, open, and collaborative.

The keynote set the tone for what many described as a defining moment — the point where artificial intelligence, cloud adoption, and connected ecosystems converge to form a new operational reality.

Mike Rosenbaum, Guidewire’s CEO, captured that inflection point clearly: half of Guidewire customers have already moved to the cloud, a milestone that symbolizes the trust the industry now places in digital platforms as the foundation for agility, innovation, and resilience.
The message was unmistakable — the industry is no longer talking about modernization as a goal; it’s living it.

In the keynote, Christina Colby, Guidewire’s Chief Customer Officer, built on that vision by emphasizing that intelligence is no longer just a feature — it’s the fabric connecting every part of the insurance lifecycle, from product innovation to claims.

Diego Devalle, Guidewire’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, expanded on that idea, describing how intelligence is now embedded directly into the platform itself — from GenAI Services to the new Agent Studio — making it possible to design, test, and deploy intelligent agents across every insurance workflow.
Guidewire framed this evolution around a single, resonant theme: Insurance Intelligence — a concept that transcends technology to unite data, AI, and human expertise into a single connected fabric. This marks the shift from systems of record to systems of insight and action — from transactional efficiency to intelligent adaptability.

Connections 2025 wasn’t just about vision — it was about progress made tangible. The main-stage announcements reflected the acceleration of Guidewire’s strategy toward a more connected, intelligent platform for P&C.
Among the standout highlights was the launch of PricingCenter, bringing together pricing and rating in a single unified environment where actuaries and IT teams can collaborate seamlessly. The enhanced UnderwritingCenter also took center stage, with its flexible, data-driven architecture enabling faster and more intelligent underwriting decisions.

As Colby highlighted, this evolution is also visible in the new AI-powered Underwriting Assistant, which turns hours of manual review into intelligent recommendations delivered in minutes — a clear sign of how embedded intelligence is transforming day-to-day operations.

And then, there was GenAI Everywhere — Guidewire’s commitment to embedding generative AI across its platform. From underwriting to claims summarization, this evolution is transforming how insurers use data, natural language, and automation to drive real business outcomes.

As Devalle summarized in his closing remarks, the true innovation lies in continuity — ensuring that every insurer can evolve at their own pace while benefiting from constant advances in cloud, digital, and AI. His words echoed throughout the event: progress isn’t about disruption; it’s about accelerating together.

Another major step was the announcement of Guidewire’s definitive agreement to acquire ProNavigator, strengthening its capabilities in AI-driven knowledge management and expanding the reach of intelligent automation across the insurance value chain. It also underscored the company’s broader approach: building an open, collaborative ecosystem where product innovation and partnership move together as catalysts for transformation.

The prevailing theme throughout the week was unmistakable: the insurance industry is standing at the threshold of a generational change — the dawn of intelligent insurance.
As Mike Rosenbaum put it in his keynote, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine our industry. The focus is no longer on incremental upgrades, but on full-scale transformation — one driven by data, automation, and the collective ambition to build a smarter, more agile future.

Equally inspiring were the insights from Sushma Segal (Chief Transformation Officer QBE Insurance Group), who reflected on the realities of navigating large-scale transformation in an era defined by constant disruption. Her perspective grounded the optimism in operational truth: transformation requires focus, governance, and the courage to simplify. 

Adding a broader dimension, Dan Heath (NYT Best-selling author of Made to Stick, Switch, and Upstream) challenged the audience to embrace Upstream Thinking — to shift from reacting to crises to addressing their causes before they materialize. His message resonated deeply with insurers reimagining how prevention, prediction, and data-driven foresight can redefine value in this new intelligent era.

Throughout the event, the concept of Agentic AI took center stage.

This next frontier in artificial intelligence moves beyond automation — it’s about orchestration, adaptability, and collaboration. Inspired by the work of thought leaders such as Amit and Tim, the agentic approach envisions intelligent agents that not only execute predefined tasks but also learn, adapt, and coordinate decisions across complex workflows.

In this model, AI becomes an active participant in the insurance value chain — from guiding customer journeys and supporting underwriting, to orchestrating claims and enabling faster, more precise operations. Agents can learn from outcomes, interact with human teams, and even anticipate needs in real time.
 It’s a shift from process automation to decision intelligence, where data, context, and human expertise work together dynamically.

At NTT DATA, we are already helping insurers embrace this evolution. Through NTT DATA’s insurance solution for agentic intelligence, we are exploring the foundations of an AI-first infrastructure — where intelligence is not added on top of systems, but built into their core.
 This architecture brings together AIOps for autonomous management, data orchestration for intelligent flows, and a growing AI marketplace of domain-specific agents that collaborate across underwriting, customer service, and claims.

• The result is a new operating model — one that’s faster, more adaptive, and deeply human.

• Agentic intelligence doesn’t replace people; it amplifies their creativity, judgment, and impact.

• It’s not just the next stage of digital transformation — it’s the beginning of a more intelligent, connected way of working.

This drive toward intelligence and connection was also reflected in some of the most engaging technical sessions of the conference. One that stood out featured Marina Barg, Chief Claims Officer at Ascot U.S., who shared the lessons learned from migrating their claims operation to Guidewire Cloud. She described how the process reduced manual steps from 26 to 4, freeing adjusters to focus on higher-value decisions — but also highlighted that success required more than technology. Her message resonated with many in the audience: “AI is the moment… if we don’t seize it, we will fall behind.”

It captured the essence of this year’s debate — that progress in insurance isn’t only about new tools, but about governance, data quality, and cultural readiness to embrace continuous change.

For us at NTT DATA, this evolution reinforces what has always guided our work: a deep commitment to helping insurers move faster, innovate smarter, and create real impact for their customers.
As a Gold Sponsor and exhibitor at Guidewire Connections 2025 — under the theme “Elevating Tomorrow” — we wanted our presence to reflect purpose rather than visibility. It was a moment to listen, collaborate, and share how we are translating innovation into measurable outcomes for insurers around the world.

Together with our colleagues from Alchemy, we engaged with clients and partners to explore how data, AI, and intelligent platforms are reshaping the future of insurance — and how trust and collaboration remain at the heart of every transformation.
The strong participation at our networking reception, with plenty of executives joining us, was yet another reminder that lasting progress is built on shared ambition and partnership.

The integration of Alchemy within NTT DATA represents much more than an acquisition — it’s a shared story of expertise, trust, and growth. What makes this combination so powerful is how naturally our strengths complement each other: Alchemy’s proven delivery excellence and talent model, together with NTT DATA’s global scale and integration capabilities, form a partnership built on quality and purpose. We are fully committed to preserving the Alchemy model and its unique culture — protecting what makes it exceptional while empowering every “Alchemist” to thrive within a broader, global context.

For me, this is where the real value lies — in the people, the mindset, and the culture that make collaboration work. We’re bringing together the precision and agility of a specialized team with the reach and consistency of a global organization. It’s not about size; it’s about focus, learning from one another, and building something that truly moves the industry forward. This is the essence of our vision and ambition — creating a global insurance organization capable of accelerating growth across the industry through shared practices and local collaboration.

This model also reflects how we are evolving inside NTT DATA — through a network of Centers of Excellence that bring together deep expertise, proven delivery practices, and continuous learning. Our goal is to replicate Alchemy’s successful model of excellence across our organization, turning it into a global framework that connects specialized talent, consistent quality, and innovation. 

These centers act as living ecosystems of knowledge, helping teams across regions apply the same standards of quality and innovation while adapting to local market realities. They are not about structure; they’re about sharing what works, scaling talent, and turning best practices into collective progress. 

The recognition of Alchemy with the PartnerConnect Consulting/SI Excellence Award for Outstanding Market Growth in EMEA is a powerful validation of that philosophy: less is more.
Because in today’s market, excellence isn’t defined by how many projects you deliver, but by the impact you create.

Alchemy’s success has come from depth — from mastering the details, nurturing talent, and developing true expertise in the Guidewire ecosystem. It’s a model that proves that specialization, not scale, is what truly drives transformation.

That’s also what makes this partnership so meaningful: combining the craftsmanship and focus of Alchemy with NTT DATA’s ability to deliver at global scale gives us the best of both worlds — the intimacy of a boutique and the reach of a world leader.

And this isn’t just our view. Guidewire itself has recognized the strength of this collaboration, highlighting how the combination enhances the ecosystem’s ability to innovate and deliver at scale.
As Will McAllister, SVP and Managing Director, EMEA at Guidewire, expressed, this milestone opens new opportunities to transform the industry together — reinforcing a partnership grounded in shared ambition and long-term value for clients.

In the end, all these conversations — about AI, open ecosystems, data, and collaboration — converge on a single idea: intelligence and connection are redefining what excellence means in insurance.
And as this transformation unfolds, NTT DATA is helping to lead that evolution, turning innovation into measurable impact for insurers and their customers worldwide.

Looking Ahead

The overarching theme of this year’s event — Insurance Intelligence — captured the spirit of change.
AI and data are no longer complementary technologies; they are the foundation of an interconnected ecosystem that drives agility and growth.
From BPaaS and core transformation to Agentic AI, ecosystem innovation, consulting excellence, and global scale, every conversation pointed toward one goal: measurable, sustainable outcomes through intelligence and integration.

At NTT DATA, we are not just following that path — we are helping to define it.
 Our role is to ensure that innovation becomes tangible, that transformation becomes continuous, and that technology remains human at its core.

Because in a world built on true connections — between people, systems, and ideas — excellence itself is being redefined.
Insurance intelligence is no longer a goal; it’s a new standard. And NTT DATA is proud to be leading that evolution — faster, smarter, and at global scale.

I’m convinced that this new era of intelligence and collaboration will mark a turning point for the insurance industry — one that will redefine how we create value, connect with customers, and shape the future together.
This is (indeed) our time.