ITC Vegas 2026: Incepta Partners' Jacob Smith on Automating Insurance Tasks

Quick Summary

The insurance industry has seen significant hype around artificial intelligence, yet many firms struggle to see a tangible impact on their bottom line. Jacob Smith of Incepta Partners explains at ITC Vegas 2026 how his firm is addressing this by moving beyond simple AI tools to automate entire servicing tasks end-to-end.

Why is ITC Vegas 2026 a key event for the insurtech ecosystem?

For a growing firm like Incepta Partners, the event provides a unique combination of visibility and accessibility. Jacob Smith notes that the resources provided for startups, including the pricing model and the ability to meet individuals of all ranks, make it one of the premier insurtech conferences globally. Unlike other events that may focus heavily on exhibition booths, this gathering is highly social. The environment in Las Vegas allows for networking in settings that are not strictly constrained to traditional work environments, fostering deeper connections across the industry.

What specific problems is Incepta Partners solving for the insurance market?

The firm is primarily focused on helping insurance brokers, retail agencies, MGAs, and carriers that are burdened by manual processes. Jacob Smith identifies a significant gap where API integrations are either unavailable or fail to solve the problem of manual portal filling and data entry. Many organisations still rely on humans to move data across different systems, a process that is both time-consuming and prone to error. Incepta Partners targets these specific manual tasks to streamline operations for platforms and agency roll-ups.

Why has AI ROI been lower than expected in the insurance sector?

According to Jacob Smith, the last two years of AI implementation in insurance have yielded less ROI than many industry commentators suggest. He argues that much of the technology provided to date has focused on giving tokens to employees to help them do better work, rather than fundamentally changing the workflow. This approach remains somewhat disconnected from the bottom line because it does not replace the need for manual intervention in core tasks. To achieve real financial impact, technology must move from assisting a human to completing the task itself.

How do computer use agents change the automation landscape?

Incepta Partners utilises computer use agents that interact with software exactly like a human would, using the mouse and keyboard. This approach offers several advantages:

• It removes the requirement for complex and often expensive API integrations.
• It allows for the automation of entire servicing tasks from start to finish.
• It directly targets specific roles and tasks that previously required manual data entry.

By automating these repetitive functions, insurance firms can repurpose their staff toward more human-centric work. Jacob Smith emphasises that because insurance is ultimately a human industry, removing the burden of manual data entry allows professionals to focus on higher-value interactions.

FF NEWS TAKE:

The shift from assistive AI to autonomous agents marks a significant turning point for the insurtech sector. While many firms have focused on generative AI for document summary or customer service chats, Incepta Partners is tackling the last mile of operations: the manual interfaces where APIs do not exist. By simulating human computer use, they provide a pragmatic solution to legacy system fragmentation. This focus on end-to-end task completion rather than incremental productivity gains is likely what will finally move the needle on ROI for carriers and MGAs alike.