Whitepaper warns brokers to digitise faster as competition intensifies

Brokers must accelerate the transformation of their placement strategies to place more emphasis on digitalisation if they want to compete for the future.

That was according to an Artificial Labs whitepaper, published today (24 November 2025) which outlined how London market intermediaries had begun to re-engineer placement strategies through digital broking and algorithmic trading models.

The Digital broking: A transformation playbook report said wholesale brokers were moving away from document-heavy workflows towards data-driven trading environments that aimed to reduce cost, retain premium and meet client expectations for faster and clearer interactions.

David King, co-founder and co-chief executive at Artificial, said brokers had reached a turning point as market participants explored how technology partners could digitise the full placement lifecycle.

King said: “For the first time, brokers are discovering how tech partners can help them digitise the entire placement process – from client engagement to post-bind processing – and maintain a single version of the truth.”

Not an if, but how fast

The whitepaper featured case studies from Aon and McGill and Partners. Both firms examined how strategic partnerships and configurable platforms supported operational changes and captured premium that previously leaked to competitors.

The report also highlighted findings from the Lloyd’s Market Association’s 2024 research, which forecast annual growth of 50% across digital and algorithmic broker facilities in the London market. According to Artificial, this shift reflected brokers’ use of digital contracts to manage complex risks at scale and deliver improved outcomes for clients.

King added: “Digitalisation is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘how fast’. Brokers are recognising that working with technology partners that understand their challenges is central to achieving interoperability, increasing automation and delivering stronger outcomes for clients.

“This whitepaper highlighted how leading brokers were already advancing their digital placement strategies at pace.”

Artificial said the playbook aimed to provide a framework for brokers seeking to expand digital placement capabilities and strengthen their competitiveness across the London market.