In early June, insurance professionals came together for the ACN Calgary Summit, a forum designed to share ideas, explore innovation and shape the future of brokerages.

Among attendees were ACN Canadian Alliance leaders Beth Gordon and Laura Pomeroy, who left the event energized by the pace of change and opportunities ahead.

Together, their takeaways tell a clear story: the industry is at a turning point, where technology, talent and collaboration are converging to redefine how brokerages operate and grow.

A Connected Ecosystem Built for Canada

A recurring theme throughout the Summit was Applied’s commitment to the Canadian marketplace and the strength of its partner ecosystem.

Gordon noted that Applied’s partnerships with broker associations, vendors and industry organizations are helping create a more integrated experience for brokerages. From DocuSign and RingCentral to emerging insurance tech partners, the breadth of solutions available — and their ability to integrate — makes it easier for brokers to build technology stacks tailored to their needs.

Equally important is Applied’s openness. Rather than positioning its platform as a closed environment, the company is embracing collaboration, recognizing that no single solution fits every brokerage. This flexibility is becoming a key differentiator in a rapidly evolving market.

Preparing for a Workforce Shift

While technological innovation was front and center, the Summit also addressed a looming industry challenge: talent.

With projections that one in four members of the Canadian workforce could retire by 2027, the need for scalable, technology-driven solutions has never been more urgent.

Gordon highlighted encouraging developments in education, including targeted insurance programs and EPIC-focused training designed to better prepare new entrants to the industry. These initiatives signal a growing recognition that the future workforce must be both digitally fluent and operationally ready from day one.

The Shift to Smarter, Faster Workflows

For Pomeroy, the Summit’s most compelling message centered on Applied’s technology roadmap, particularly its vision for AI-powered workflows.

Applied is positioning its latest innovations, such as AutoFill, RiskChecker and Max Search, not as standalone tools, but as foundational building blocks toward a future of agentic AI. In this model, systems will eventually manage multi-step workflows autonomously, reducing the need for manual intervention at every stage.

Already, these tools are designed to address some of the industry’s most persistent inefficiencies:

• AutoFill reduces repetitive data entry through automated data capture.
• RiskChecker automates policy comparisons and validation.
• Max Search surfaces the right information instantly, improving decision-making speed.

Together, they represent a shift away from manual, fragmented processes toward streamlined, intelligent operations.

3 Outcomes That Define the Future

Pomeroy distilled Applied’s AI vision into three outcomes that resonated across the Summit:

• Speed: Less time spent on manual tasks means faster turnaround on submissions, renewals and servicing.
• Confidence: Better data quality and fewer errors enable stronger decision-making and reduce risk.
• Scalability: A platform that evolves with the brokerage ensures long-term growth without constant reinvestment.

These outcomes are no longer aspirational. They’re becoming increasingly tangible as new tools roll out over the next 12–18 months.

Navigating Transition: From Desktop to Browser

Another major milestone discussed at the Summit is the planned decommissioning of the EPIC desktop environment, with a transition to browser-based workflows already underway.

Both Gordon and Pomeroy underscored the importance of preparing for this shift. The move is expected to address longstanding performance challenges and pave the way for faster, more responsive user experiences.

Beyond performance, the transition enables deeper integration with emerging technologies, including AI, ensuring brokerages can fully leverage the platform’s future capabilities.

Looking Ahead

The ACN Calgary Summit put a spotlight on the insurance brokerage of the future, one that is defined by its ability to adapt, embrace new technology, rethink workflows and invest in people.

For ACN Canadian Alliance leaders like Gordon and Pomeroy, the message is exciting and urgent. The tools, partnerships and insights are already in place. Now, the focus shifts to how brokerages will leverage them.

As the industry moves forward, those who act on these insights — combining community-driven learning with technology-enabled innovation — will be best positioned to thrive in what comes next.