In his latest podcast, Paul the Insurer draws a surprising parallel between Aztec mythology and artificial intelligence: just as the feathered god Quetzalcoatl once formed a new humanity from broken bones, today AI could be in the process of creating a new order for business and insurance. But what this will lead to remains an open question. Just like the question of whether humans will remain at the center of it all.
The great pyramids of Teotihuacan are among the most impressive testimonies to Mexico’s pre-Hispanic culture. For Paul the Insurer, however, they are more than just a historical site. In his latest podcast, he uses the ancient legend of Quetzalcoatl as a metaphor for the profound changes currently affecting the insurance industry and society as a whole.
The story of the feathered god tells of how, after the destruction of the old world, the bones of the dead were brought back from the underworld to be used to create new life. But the bones were broken and incomplete. The people created from them were different, flawed and unique. This is precisely where Paul sees a parallel to the present day.
The old world begins to totter
The existing order is coming under increasing pressure. Institutions that have been stable for decades are losing their reliability, and processes are being called into question by digitalization and technological upheaval. The insurance industry in particular, traditionally characterized by regulation, predictability and long-term thinking, is facing profound change. Although many recognize the changes, they remain stuck in familiar routines.
When artificial intelligence becomes a creator
Artificial intelligence is at the center of these considerations. For Paul, it seems like a modern-day Quetzalcoatl. No longer on the steps of ancient temples, but in the clouds of global data centers. An intelligence that absorbs the accumulated knowledge of mankind and creates new forms from it. Not from bones, but from data and code.
The examples of this today still seem harmless, almost playful. Pieces of music in the style of Beethoven or Bach, written by algorithms. Poems generated at the touch of a button. Digital assistants that answer customer questions and imitate human communication. But for Paul, it’s clear that this is just the beginning.
The insurance industry facing upheaval
These technologies could trigger fundamental changes in the insurance industry in particular. Risk assessment, claims processing, customer interaction or product development – almost every area can be redefined by AI. At the same time, this raises fundamental questions: Will machines understand risks better than humans in the future? Can algorithms replace empathy? And will there still be room for human intuition and responsibility in an increasingly automated world?
Between technology and humanity
The podcast avoids simple answers. Instead, it paints a picture of a transitional period in which the old order has already become visibly fragile, while the new one is only just beginning to emerge. The real challenge lies less in the technology itself than in the ability of people and institutions to deal with this uncertainty.
Paul the Insurer sees insurance not only as an industry, but also as a reflection of social developments. Insurance covers risks, creates trust and stability. However, it is precisely this function that is becoming more complex than ever in a world of increasing technological dynamism.
What remains of people in the system?
The message of the podcast therefore remains deliberately open. Perhaps something new is indeed emerging from the fragmented structures of the present: imperfect, diverse and different from everything before. The crucial question, however, is who is shaping this new world: people themselves or the systems they have created.
Binci Heeb
Paul the Insurer has other content that may interest you, such as the series of interviews with insurance industry executives.
Read also: The curse of Babel in the insurance world
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