UPDATE: Manulife has just announced a groundbreaking partnership with Adaptive ML to enhance its enterprise AI capabilities. This strategic alliance, revealed on December 22, 2025, will leverage cutting-edge reinforcement learning technology to fine-tune and optimize AI models in real-time, significantly improving customer experiences.
The collaboration aims to propel Manulife’s proprietary AI platform forward, allowing for the rapid deployment of tailored AI solutions that drive value and efficiency. As the demand for innovative financial services grows, this initiative underscores Manulife’s commitment to staying at the forefront of AI advancements.
Adaptive ML, based in New York, specializes in reinforcement learning, offering a unique engine that can adapt and refine open-source small language models (SLMs) for enterprise applications. This technology will enable Manulife to continuously learn from new data and user feedback, ensuring that AI models are not only accurate but also cost-effective.
“We continue to accelerate progress on our AI platform, and Adaptive ML’s capabilities position us to deliver breakthrough solutions that enhance speed, accuracy, and innovation,” stated Jodie Wallis, Global Chief AI Officer at Manulife.
This partnership is a crucial step for Manulife as it seeks to become an AI-powered organization. The multi-year agreement will focus on practical applications, including automating underwriting quotes and supporting sales professionals, ensuring broader scale and faster deployment of solutions.
Julien Launay, CEO of Adaptive ML, remarked, “Manulife continues to demonstrate leadership in deploying enterprise AI at scale. This partnership is a blueprint for how regulated industries should adopt AI.” By utilizing specialized agents and the Adaptive Engine as a reinforcement learning operations layer, Manulife aims to achieve superior reliability and cost efficiencies across its global operations.
The integration of AI is not just about efficiency; it also aligns with Manulife’s commitment to Responsible AI and sustainability. By optimizing energy use while maintaining performance, the partnership sets a new standard for ethical AI deployment.
Shamus Weiland, Chief Information Officer at Manulife, emphasized, “We’re proud to be leveraging the power of Adaptive ML, which will help us move faster while removing friction for our customers.” This strategic direction is expected to enhance customer satisfaction and provide teams with innovative tools for scalable solutions.
With this announcement, Manulife reaffirms its position as a leader in the financial services sector, having recently been named the #1 life insurance company for AI maturity in the inaugural Evident AI Index for Insurance. The company has been investing in AI capabilities since 2016, and this latest development marks a significant milestone in its ongoing journey.
As AI technologies evolve, the partnership with Adaptive ML will likely have far-reaching implications for both Manulife and the financial services industry as a whole. Stakeholders and customers alike are encouraged to watch for upcoming innovations stemming from this collaboration.
For more information about Manulife’s AI initiatives, visit manulife.com.
