Aflac CIO Shelia Anderson on AI-Driven Integration and the Unified Group Strategy

Technovation with Peter High (CIO, CTO, CDO, CXO Interviews)

A unified customer experience helps companies deliver consistency, build trust, and reduce friction across their offerings making it easier for customers to engage, buy, and stay loyal. That’s why Aflac is investing in a unified group strategy consolidating acquired products into a seamless, integrated experience across dental, vision, disability, and more. In this episode of Technovation, Peter High interviews Shelia Anderson, EVP and CIO of Aflac, and speaks with her about the company’s strategy for transforming IT from a fragmented, acquisition-heavy operation into a centralized, data-driven engine for business value.

She outlines how Aflac avoided a costly cloud migration misstep, refocused its data and AI capabilities, and aligned talent strategy with architectural goals. Her approach to innovation is pragmatic and powerful: tie everything to business priorities and know your why.

Highlights include:

• AI at Scale: Legacy ML driving value in claims; GenAI mapped to entire insurance lifecycle
• Talent Shift: Reducing third-party reliance and redefining internal job architecture
• Unified Group Strategy: Streamlined digital experience across acquired businesses
• Smart Cloud Strategy: Focused migration driven by value, not hype
• Innovation Alignment: Hatch Lab and GenAI tied to Aflac’s top goals