Almost Nowhere

Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype

Recorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere cuts through the noise surrounding InsurTech, GenAI, and the future of insurance software. Alicia Burke, Max Martinelli, and guest co-host Sergey sit down with Betty Zhu to unpack one of the biggest questions facing carriers today: when should insurers build technology themselves, and when should they buy it? Drawing from nearly a decade inside pricing technology and InsurTech vendors, Betty shares an insider’s perspective on the realities behind flashy demos, AI-driven product claims, vendor evaluations, proof-of-concepts, and the growing pressure created by rapid advances in generative AI. The conversation explores: * Why GenAI is making “build vs. buy” harder than ever * How carriers can distinguish real expertise from polished demos * The hidden risks of in-house AI development and key-person dependency * Why distribution, domain expertise, and long-term viability matter more than hype * How actuarial workflows may evolve as AI lowers the barrier to building software For actuaries, innovation leaders, and insurance professionals trying to navigate the next wave of AI-enabled transformation, this episode offers a grounded discussion on what creates durable value — and what may disappear as quickly as it arrived.

Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System

Recorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores how Japan’s insurance industry manages some of the most concentrated catastrophe risk in the world. Hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli are joined by Suguru Fujita, Yohei Konishi, Takuro Oyama, and Kenta Ito for a conversation on earthquakes, typhoons, reinsurance structures, catastrophe modeling, public-private partnerships, and the cultural mindset behind resilience in Japan. The discussion dives into how Japanese insurers approach pricing, regulation, AI, claims response, and long-term catastrophe management — and what U.S. actuaries and insurers can learn from a system built around collaboration, preparedness, and recovery.

Jim Weiss & Howard Kunst

Climate risk is changing faster than actuarial practice. In this episode of Almost Nowhere, Jim Weiss challenges how actuaries think about responsibility when models, data, and assumptions start to break down. From overlooked casualty impacts to the limits of today’s frameworks, this conversation pushes beyond the usual climate narrative. Plus, what AI means for all of it — and why the real risk might not be what you think. Filmed at the 2026 CAS RPM Seminar in Chicago.

Charles Johnson

AI is rapidly reshaping how actuaries are trained, hired, and evaluated. In this episode, Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli talk with Charles Johnson—actuary, educator, and founder—about what’s changing across the talent pipeline. From AI-assisted learning to AI-influenced interviews, the gap between high-performing candidates and those relying too heavily on tools is widening. The conversation explores hiring challenges, why traditional interviews fall short, and how hands-on work is becoming the clearest signal of real ability. As the profession evolves, one question stands out: who will adapt—and who will fall behind?

Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer

In this episode of Almost Nowhere, we dig into the CAS AI Primer and the problem it was built to solve: a growing divide between actuaries actively experimenting with AI and those keeping their distance. Our guests, part of the CAS AI working group, explain why that gap exists—and why it matters. While some practitioners are already building, testing, and validating AI-driven workflows, others are holding back due to uncertainty, risk, and lack of a clear starting point. Access the Primer: https://www.casact.org/publications-research/research/ai-tools-and-resources