Curious what everyone’s thoughts are on the AI impacts at Cigna?
Every time companies talk about “effeciency” it often ends up meaning fewer people doing the same work. Also with the recent job eliminations and the intense focus on improving effeciencies, it makes me wonder where things are heading.
Not trying to be negative or start rumors, just curious what others think about this. Is AI impacting your role yet? Any thoughts on how this might impact jobs at Cigna going foward?
And just like Agile, it is a mechanism to “fail faster"
As a case manager, a month ot so ago it was learned they are using AI to outreach to customers who recently had an ER visit.
All Ops teams will see an impact and cuts with AI. It’s inevitable at this point. It will and has been gradual automation that still needs to be overseen by humans to some extent, but there will be a time where those human heads will be reduced to handle complex cases because the straightforward processes will be “good”.
Good is the objective. Not great, not perfect.
To slow the process down, reduce the AI tools, even a little helps a lot.
@OP I'm using it every day in my job. Great time saver for researching internal documents and emails. You really need to do a sanity check of the results however. Don't just cut and paste and go on your merry way.
AI has actually helped me personally in my role (Product). It helps me be more efficient in combing through Excel data, creating macros, analyzing competitor info, summarizing information, writing drafts, etc. It can do tedious tasks in minutes that would take me many hours to do manually.
That said, I am very concerned about the broader use of AI and think it could be a real threat if we’re not careful and take humans out of decision making completely. I also don’t think it’s going to be the magical savior that executive leadership seems to believe.
@cq which external AI company?
AI is definitely coming for my department. Just was told we hired external AI company for a tool we primarily use. Probably have a year or so before we’re impacted. Operations.
Yes, we all know Cigna isn’t the only company doing this. Until we have strict laws on AI taking jobs from actual humans, we are all F’d.
The reality is whether or not AI is creating efficiencies is a moot point. Leadership is going to say it works as air cover for layoffs and offshoring to get to the bottom line number they want. Full stop, all slop.
AI efficiency is smallest piece in our layoff equation, but it is giving leadership hope that cuts will help bring profits.
Cigna, as well as every other publicly traded company, is outsourcing (offshoring) tech, admin, call centers, etc. in huge numbers. The remaining US employees are expected to absorb their newly-acquired extra job functions with the use of AI (Copilot in our case). AI is expected to increase productivity of remaining US employees by at least 2X.
As per usual, teams in India will make lots of noise and eat up company resources while providing very little new product and creating extra work for US-based workers.
Ultimately, Shareholders will still be pi---d because Cigna stock prices will continue to slide. The real reason for this slide isn’t is that employee costs are growing. Rather, it’s because health insurance premiums can no longer feasibly grow at the same rate as healthcare cost and utilization.
What we’re witnessing firsthand is an industry in turmoil. The once limitless dollars of the US commercial healthcare membership are drying up at an unbelievable rate. The Boomer demographic is coming home to roost and is destroying the market. GenX and Millennial employee dollars can’t stand the strain of Boomer retirees and job diehards.
You may ask “if Boomers retiring, how does this negatively impact commercial plans?”
The answer is that the US commercial healthcare member/client pays the lion’s share of the US (and the world) healthcare bill.
Providers have prices capped by CMS (Medicare/Medicaid) and many uninsured individuals just don’t pay. So that leaves the good ol’ American employee based plans to pick up the slack. But this golden egg-laying goose has hit menopause. It wasn’t expected so soon or so dramatically.
Employers are tapped out, so premiums can’t increase appreciably.
Individuals are forced to buy super high deductible plans while avoiding wellness visits and out of pocket costs.
Health insurer shareholders will continue to demand cuts until profits are acceptable.
This last thing is impossible.
This industry is no longer viable.
If you’re under 45 years old, be planning your transition. If you’re 55+, pray you can hang on and save.
For those of you who think single payer provided by Big Daddy Government is the answer. Well, just look around at the challenges those socialist utopias are facing and remember that SOMEONE IS PAYING THE BILL and someone else is trying to work a profit. It’s the same p-o in a different bag.
Same. 😒 Operations here and JE’d. They said it was due to restructuring. Yeah, restructuring due to AI taking it over.
@a8 Operations is the job category. I’m sure AI is in all the job categories one way or another. Everyone should be concerned and more so when you are actively teaching AI by using programs with AI embedded in it. AI is learning from you. Your days are definitely numbered.
Yes you should be worried. Even if AI isnt working well, our "leaders" think it is and will fire 40%+ of the company. Look at Amazon. Major Outages after Major Outages caused by AI. They simply dont care because they already have your business. Its the same for healthcare. Sign up for a plan and they already have your money. Oh you couldnt get approval for a procedure because the system was down? Well, the company just saved some more cash.
@a7 Do you mind sharing what area of the business you worked in?
Before I was JE’d, AI was in one of the programs I was using. I have heard from others still there that AI has completely taken over the job. Everyone should be very worried about AI. We really need laws that clearly state how much percent AI a company can use. With no laws then they will replace all that they can with AI to avoid paying a salary. It’s disgusting and something needs to be done.
Good morning. Basically if your team/ office/ region isn’t costing Cigna less than any other international “onshore” offices, your team and jobs are not safe. This is the rule for international offices too. Everyone is trying to beat out the cheaper office and eventually everyone will try to beat out the efficacy of AI.