Pension trustees use AI, but oversight is lagging, Aon survey finds

Three in four UK pension schemes have trustees who use AI, but many have yet to put basic oversight in place, according to an Aon survey reported by Resultsense. The findings make a practical case for trustees to ask where AI is being used, how providers govern it and who remains accountable.

Watch Desk analysis

What happened

Aon surveyed 61 UK defined benefit pension schemes. More than half of respondents had received no AI training, 61% were unaware of how their advisers apply AI, and 94% had no AI provisions in their contracts, Resultsense reports. The survey was reported by Employee Benefits on 16 October.

Although 65% of respondents had discussed AI opportunities, only 18% had recorded any. Seventy-three per cent carried out no specific checks on how their providers govern the technology. Meanwhile, 94% believed scheme members were already turning to AI for answers about pension benefits, even though 86% of schemes offered members no AI tools.

Why it matters

The figures point to a gap between informal use and formal governance. Trustees may not provide AI tools directly, yet members and advisers can still bring AI into conversations and decisions about pension benefits. Contracts, training and clear responsibility are less glamorous than a new tool, but they help make that use visible and accountable.

Our read

This is a useful prompt for trustees, not proof that AI has already improved or harmed pension services. A sensible starting point is to ask advisers and administrators where they use AI, check how they protect data and decide who is responsible for decisions and communications to members. A policy written before an incident is generally less awkward than one written after it.

What to watch

• Whether The Pensions Regulator issues the guidance Aon partner Paul McGlone says is due soon.
• Whether schemes add AI terms when contracts are renewed.
• Whether training and provider checks become routine rather than another item on the agenda.

Discussion spark: Should pension trustees require advisers to disclose and document every use of AI, or would that add paperwork without meaningfully improving oversight?

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