New Report Says Benefits Brokers Face AI Reality Check as Client Demands Outpace Tech

A new report from human capital management firm isolved reveals a major gap in the benefits industry: while 46% of clients are asking for AI-driven advice and 58% need more compliance help, most brokers lack the tech infrastructure to deliver. The resulting "stalled promise of AI-driven employee experience" spotlights an industry at a crossroads.

• From paper-pusher to tech consultant: The disconnect is forcing a tectonic shift in the broker's role. The findings from isolved's "Advisory Services Research" suggest the job is quickly moving from transactional sales to strategic tech consulting, putting pressure on brokers to navigate a maze of new tools while scrambling to get up to speed themselves.

• The compliance shield: The push for AI isn't just about a slicker user experience through 24/7 bots and "game-changing" onboarding. Jura Slattery, isolved's chief customer officer, told Employee Benefit News it's also being sold as a compliance tool, with features to help managers write performance reviews to sidestep liability or identify internal skills gaps.

For HR departments and the brokers who serve them, the message is clear: technology is no longer just a tool but the core of the job. The challenge is moving beyond simply selling benefits to advising on the complex digital systems that now deliver them. Meanwhile, AI is already being used to give benefit managers smarter insights, empowering the very people brokers serve. The industry is also facing a demographic shift, raising the question of whether advisers are truly ready for Gen Z.