AI Confidential with Hannah Fry · Episode 3
AI Confidential with Hannah Fry, The Assassin and the Algorithm: what the evidence says about AI decisions in health insurance
What the episode covers, where AI decisions in health insurance stands on the 311 Starburst and what leaders should take from it.
What it covers
About the episode
The episode follows a high-profile US murder case to examine the controversial use of AI algorithms in decisions about health insurance claims and care.
- Broadcaster
- BBC Two and BBC iPlayer
- Made by
- Curious Films for the BBC, in partnership with The Open University
- Episode
- Series 1, episode 3
Official episode page (BBC Two and BBC iPlayer) · More about the series
What the evidence says
Where AI decisions in health insurance stands in 2026
The 311 Starburst maps when each emerging technology and trend is expected to reach wide use. These are the entries that match this subject, with their status today.
- Trend · Operating Model TrendsAlgorithmic Decision Making
- Expected wide use
- 2029
- Status in 2026
- Prepare
- Trend · SocietalAlgorithmic Bias
- Expected wide use
- 2023
- Status in 2026
- Act now
- Trend · TechnologicalAlgorithmic Audits
- Expected wide use
- 2029
- Status in 2026
- Prepare
- Trend · InsurancePredictive Insurance
- Expected wide use
- 2030
- Status in 2026
- Prepare
Source: the 311 Starburst, researched by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit (data built 2026-10-28). Status rings: Act now means wide use by 2027, Prepare 2028 to 2030, Explore 2031 to 2035, Watch 2036 or later. Explore the Starburst Centre.
311 analysis
What leaders should take from it
- Any algorithm that denies people money or care needs a human who can overrule it and an audit trail.
- Algorithmic audits are becoming expected; commission one before a regulator or a journalist does it for you.
- Trust is now a balance-sheet item: one opaque decision system can damage a brand built over decades.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
Next steps
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Answers
Common questions
Do insurers use AI to decide claims?
Yes, many insurers use algorithms in claims and care decisions, and scrutiny is rising. The 311 Starburst treats algorithmic bias as an Act now trend and algorithmic audits as a Prepare trend.
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