The recognition highlights Manulife's shift from initial adoption to large-scale, enterprise-wide execution. According to Evident, the company has deployed a higher number of specific AI use cases than any other insurer in the index. This includes the Manulife Automated Underwriting Decision Engine (MAUDE), which handles over half of eligible life insurance applications in Canada with decisions delivered in as little as two minutes.

Phil Witherington, President and CEO of Manulife, noted that the company is on track to generate more than $1 billion in enterprise value from AI initiatives by 2027. Having already achieved $300 million by the end of 2025, the firm is leveraging these tools to improve efficiency and customer experience. Jodie Wallis, Global Chief AI Officer, credited this progress to a focus on practical, responsible applications underpinned by automated governance. Evident’s assessment, which covers 30 major insurers in North America and Europe, also noted a 41% year-on-year increase in Manulife's AI talent pool, further solidifying the company’s leadership in the sector.