Thousands of insurance professionals around the world are taking part in the 12th annual Dive In Festival, as the international event turns its attention to one of the biggest questions facing employers: how can businesses embrace artificial intelligence without losing the human connections that underpin successful workplaces?
Running over three days, Dive In 2026 brings together employers, industry leaders and workplace experts to examine culture, talent and inclusion, while also reflecting on more than a decade of changes within the global insurance sector.
This year’s theme, “The Human gAIn: Powering Culture & Connection,” places AI firmly at the heart of the programme.
Sessions will consider how employers can take advantage of rapidly developing AI technologies while maintaining trust, collaboration and strong workplace relationships.
The programme stretches across multiple countries, with events in Argentina, Italy and the US examining issues including caregiving and neurodiversity. In Mexico, discussions will look at ways of turning uncertainty into stronger connections and collective confidence.
AI Meets Workplace Culture
Technology will feature prominently throughout the festival.
In Singapore, Microsoft Singapore Chief Architect Matthew Tan will examine how AI could improve productivity, support decision-making and create new ways of working.
IBM Chief Operating Officer Ignacio Del Pozo will lead a workshop in Spain looking at trust, generational differences and practical approaches to adopting AI.
UK events will also hear from AI specialists including Toju Duke, Founder and CEO of Bedrock AI, and Sue Turner, Founding Director of AI Governance Ltd.
However, technology represents just one element of a programme covering a much broader range of workplace issues.
Former England Rugby World Cup winner Will Greenwood and comedian and television executive Cally Beaton are among the UK speakers, while artist Sarah Rowan will participate in Australia.
Canadian Paralympian Jessica Lewis will contribute to discussions surrounding accessibility.
From Conversations to Workplace Policies
Launched in 2015, Dive In has grown into a major international culture and talent event for the insurance industry.
Organisers say it has now delivered more than 1,000 events across over 40 countries and reached almost 200,000 people.
Perhaps more significant for employers, however, are the workplace conversations and subsequent policy changes associated with subjects raised during previous festivals.
Menopause is one example.
Dive In held an event examining menopause in the workplace in 2022, when the subject was receiving considerably less attention within corporate environments. According to figures highlighted by the festival, 70% of firms in the Lloyd’s Market now have menopause policies.
Mental health has also been a recurring theme. In 2017, two men shared their experiences of mental ill health and prevented suicide at a Dive In event, prompting further conversations across the sector.
Domestic abuse and its implications for employees were explored at events in 2019. Dive In says 40% of firms in the Lloyd’s Market have subsequently implemented domestic abuse policies.
Neurodiversity Becomes Part of Workplace Thinking
Neurodiversity was introduced to the festival programme in 2019 and has since become an increasingly prominent consideration for employers.
Workplace adjustments highlighted by organisers include the introduction of skills-based assessments during recruitment, providing noise-cancelling headphones in open-plan workplaces and establishing quiet or sensory spaces.
Dive In has also provided a platform for conversations that differ according to local workplace cultures, including discussions about female empowerment in Saudi Arabia and paternity leave in Japan.
The examples demonstrate how conversations around inclusion can translate into different practical priorities depending on a workforce’s location and circumstances.
Measuring Cultural Change
Data from the Lloyd’s Market Policies and Practices Return indicates that ethnic diversity within the market has increased and is now representative of the UK’s working-age population.
Diversity monitoring has also increased, while Culture Survey findings cited by Dive In show that 87% of employees agree their organisation is genuinely committed to creating a fair, diverse and inclusive culture.
Nick Line, Chief Underwriting Officer at CFC and Chair of Dive In, said:
“What has always made Dive In unique is its ability to bring the industry together. Organisations that compete every day have put those differences aside to tackle shared cultural challenges at a market-wide and global level – achieving far more collectively than any one organisation could alone.
“As we look to the future, that spirit of collaboration is something we must carry forward. The workplace will continue to evolve, but our ability to come together, share ideas and learn from one another will remain essential to building stronger cultures across our industry.”
Dom Christian, Chairman AON UK, added:
“When Dive In began, many of these conversations simply weren’t happening in our industry. Today, they are part of everyday business discussion. Its impact can be seen in the organisations that changed policies, the leaders who thought differently and, importantly, the conversations that continued long after each festival ended. That progress is something everyone involved in Dive In can be incredibly proud of – and it gives us a strong foundation to keep building on.”
What Comes Next for Employers?
The subjects being discussed at Dive In have changed considerably since the festival began 12 years ago, reflecting wider changes in both society and the workplace.
AI now presents employers with another significant transition.
Questions surrounding productivity and automation increasingly sit alongside concerns about trust, skills, employee engagement and the changing relationship between people and technology.
The focus of Dive In 2026 suggests that successfully adopting AI may therefore involve much more than choosing the right technology. Employers will also need to consider how new tools affect the people using them and the culture in which they operate.
Dive In 2026 is backed by organisations from across the insurance sector, including AIG, Antares, Aon, Arch, Asta, Aviva, AXA XL, Clyde & Co, Gallagher, Guidewire, Liberty Mutual, Lloyd’s, Markel, Marsh, Moody’s, Pelagos Insurance Capital, RenaissanceRe and WTW.
Supporter Partners for 2026 include Alliant, AXIS, Everest, GP Strategies, KPMG, Lockton Re, RGA and Swiss Re.
Events are free to attend, with registration available through the Dive In Festival website: https://www.diveinfestival.com/.
