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AI is speeding training for insurance producers, executive says
Higginbotham, which topped $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2025, says AI is shortening the learning curve while keeping the apprenticeship model intact.
AI is creating a major opportunity for insurers by accelerating how quickly new producers and account executives can learn, while making experienced advisors more effective, David Fishel, chief growth officer at Higginbotham, said. Fishel, whose role spans organic growth and inorganic growth through agency partnerships and strategic recruiting, argued that AI will not replace client relationships. Instead, he said it helps firms scale knowledge, improve service, and free up time to focus on serving clients and building trust, which he described as essential in a people business. Higginbotham, a Texas-based, employee-owned insurance and financial services firm, crossed $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2025. Fishel said the insurance industry’s aging workforce increases the urgency to preserve institutional knowledge and develop future leaders more quickly, and that AI is dramatically shortening the technical learning curve for younger staff. Fishel said the apprenticeship approach is not changing, but the time needed for new talent to absorb technical knowledge is getting faster. He also emphasized that AI is most effective when paired with experience, because technology can support research and surface ideas, while veteran professionals provide judgment, context, and critical thinking for client decisions.