Description: The SOA and American Academy of Actuaries announce updated financial planning tool for retirement.

Description: On January 12, 2023, the Arizona Blockchain Applied Research Center (AZ BARC) and the SOA Research Institute jointly ran a workshop on the use of blockchain technology in insurance and financial industries. The workshop included presentations focused on academic research in the blockchain space by Arizona State University, AZ BARC and an industry expert panel assembled by the SOA Research Institute. This document summarizes the research highlights and the discussions that occurred during the two-hour workshop.

Description: The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute received a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to educate insurance actuaries on the use of wildfire risk datasets and models to be developed by researchers from academia and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Description: This fifth call for essays aimed to gather perspectives, opinions and data on how to advance the state of effective retirement planning tools, products, and strategies to assist individuals, financial advisors, employers and other stakeholders. The goal was to meet two objectives: (1) identify retirement risks, and (2) how to better plan for and maintain a secure retirement.

Description: The popular press plays an important role in public perception regarding automated vehicles. In contrast to the excitement generated two to three years ago, we are now in a period of “reverse hype” with most articles focused on the slow pace of development and concerns regarding possible negative impacts on traffic congestion and growth of suburbs. To help describe current trends and highlight differences between the cars we see on the street today and driverless vehicles, this report relies on three market-related definitions; safe, self-driving and driverless.

Description: This paper explores how molecular biology, specifically epigenetics, may impact the life insurance industry, and considers the effects of utilizing epigenetic biomarkers for underwriting.

Description: This newsletter provides a regulation outlook for the use of AI/ML in insurance industry, interpretations of regulatory expectations and what insurers should consider when managing risks associated with the development, implementation and use of AI/ML models/tools.

Description: Decentralized finance, or DeFi, is an emerging financial system powered by blockchain technology. This research report aims to introduce actuaries to DeFi and help them develop a solid understanding of DeFi. It will begin with addressing “what is DeFi?” by providing an introduction on blockchains and DeFi. It will then discuss in further detail the key characteristics, applications, opportunities, and risks of DeFi. After providing the foundation, this report will discuss the potential adoption of DeFi and its interaction with the current financial system (sometime referred to as traditional finance for contrast with DeFi), and the implications for practicing and aspiring actuaries. In addition, a glossary of terms used in DeFi and a brief history of the development of DeFi have been included in the appendix.

Description: This collection presents three essays analyzing the multifaceted impacts of AI and LLMs on retirees and retirement professionals, blending quantitative, philosophical, and forward-looking perspectives.

Description: Learn how insurers provide new opportunities for efficiency and value creation from product design and underwriting through customer engagement and claims. Glimpse some industry use cases for Gen AI and its outcomes as observed by the first movers.