By Julius Stockheim
Cologne School of Journalism
Cologne School of Journalism
Trust as a Strategy: How Allianz Is Leveraging AI in Its Customer Business
The world is going through “crazy times”—with these words, Allianz CEO Oliver Bäte opened this year’s Media Barbecue at the company’s Munich headquarters. He never imagined that his time at the helm of the insurance company would be so exciting. One challenge followed another: Brexit, Donald Trump, the coronavirus, and the invasion of Ukraine.
How do you steer a company through such times? For Bäte, trust is the key word. Allianz has succeeded in guaranteeing stability for its customers, employees, and investors amid multiple crises. This also applies to the transition into the age of artificial intelligence (AI), the central theme of the evening. AI, according to Bäte, is not an add-on but the “baseline” of the business and a catalyst for better customer experiences. Growth in India and Singapore, affordable products, and digital claims processes are to be combined with AI-driven customer excellence. People will not disappear; they will remain the force that turns technology into trust.
Oliver Bäte at the Allianz Media Barbecue on July 8, 2026.
Allianz Board of Management member Sirma Boshnakova picked up on this idea. In the AI era, she said, the company will not become irreplaceable through technology alone, but through 130 years of experience, more than 100 million customers, experts, risk knowledge, and data. Artificial intelligence does not replace people; it elevates them to a new level. Whether when purchasing insurance, receiving home assistance, or dealing with auto damage, AI should make support faster, more scalable, and more efficient. “Then we’ll still be there for our customers on Sunday evenings, even when no employees are working,” said Boshnakova.
Thomas Sepp, a member of the Allianz Commercial Board of Management and Chief Claims Officer, also highlighted the downside, however: artificial intelligence carries risks. He cited failing AI systems in vehicles, as well as fake emails and videos used in social engineering. This also includes “AI washing”: a misleading marketing tactic in which a product is promoted by exaggerating the actual role of AI. Today’s cases are just the tip of the iceberg; the pace of adoption and liability issues are growing faster than governance. Allianz is positioning itself as a risk manager, with claims analysis and AI help centers.
Allianz Board of Management member Renate Wagner placed people and machines at the center of her remarks. Technological excellence alone is not enough; empathy, sound judgment, and a customer-centric approach are what set a company apart. For customers, this means personalization and speed—for employees, it means unlocking their potential. In addition to in-house AI applications, Wagner introduced Allianz’s own chatbot, “Mia.” This enables Allianz employees to answer simple customer questions more quickly. Her formula: 70 percent of the transformation is about people and processes, 20 percent is data, and only 10 percent is tools. Finally, Allianz Board of Management member Barbara Karuth-Zelle described the organizational foundation. Artificial intelligence, she said, is more than a tool—it is becoming a way of working. The foundation is based on responsible use, transparency, human oversight, fairness, and data protection.
Following an in-depth discussion between the Board of Management and journalists, the garden at Allianz headquarters provided an opportunity for casual conversation over a barbecue—away from the hard facts and figures.
About the author
Julius Stockheim is a journalist and a soon-to-be graduate of the Cologne School of Journalism (website in German). Along with other media professionals, he attended the Allianz Media Barbecue on July 7. Allianz is a partner of the Cologne School of Journalism and, as part of its “Power of Unity” initiative, supports dialogue, exchange, and social cohesion in an increasingly polarized world. Promoting quality journalism and supporting the next generation of journalists is a key component of this initiative.
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About Allianz
Last updated: September 23, 2026
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, active in almost 70 countries and serving around 97 million private and corporate customers*. Our customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, including property, life and health insurance, as well as assistance services, credit and global business insurance. Recognized for the seventh consecutive year as the number one global insurance brand in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2025 ranking, Allianz’s success is built on technology-enabled customer centricity – providing peace of mind, protection, and prevention for our customers and strengthening the resilience of individuals, communities, and societies. We are one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 791 billion euros** on behalf of our insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 2.2 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of environmental and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, Allianz received an MSCI ESG Rating of AAA (as of March 2026). In 2025, our 156,000 dedicated employees achieved a total business volume of 186.9 billion euros and an operating profit of 17.4 billion euros for our shareholders.
* As of December 31, 2025. Customer count reflects Allianz customers in consolidated entities that are part of the customer reporting scope only.
** As of June 30, 2026.
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