From Buzz to Blind Spots: Examining AI Readiness and AI Exploration Reality in German Statutory Health Insurances

This study investigates the expectations and preparedness of German statutory health insurance companies (SHIs) regarding the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) as a driver of digital transformation in healthcare. Employing an exploratory survey of managers from 25 SHIs, the research examines strategic orientation, organizational readiness, and the operational reality of AI exploration. Findings reveal that SHIs widely recognize AI as a cross- sectional technology with substantial potential for improving efficiency and service quality, significant gaps persist in translating AI-related knowledge into innovative processes and products, and self- assessments of AI readiness tend to be overly optimistic compared to actual implementation progress. The study highlights the importance of strategic alignment and absorptive capacity for successful AI adoption, and identifies a particular weakness of SHIs to transform AI related knowledge into new processes and products.