cutting-edge AI-driven chatbot 'Iris' from Sun Life earns CIO Award recognition

Sun Life Financial, a leading provider of financial services, continues to push the boundaries of innovation with its AI-powered virtual agent, Iris. The virtual assistant has been recognised with the 2025 CIO Awards Canada for the second consecutive year, demonstrating the power of responsible innovation.

Iris, a key component of Sun Life's ongoing efforts to leverage AI technologies, has been integral in improving the company's services and client experiences. The virtual agent has handled approximately 10,000 employee queries, resolving more than 80% of them in under two minutes, and reducing the average service desk resolution time by 83%.

Integrated with Sun Life's systems and knowledge base, Iris is capable of handling common requests like password resets, software access, and ticket status updates. By providing instant, conversational responses, Iris frees up service desk agents to focus on complex issues.

Iris uses Generative AI and Agentic AI to boost employee productivity and streamline service desk operations. The virtual assistant is projected to save 24,000 combined hours annually for employees and service desk agents. As Iris's capabilities continue to expand, it is expected to handle increasingly complex employee needs.

Sun Life's digital transformation efforts are focused on leveraging AI technologies to create faster, more personalized, and efficient digital experiences for both employees and clients. The recently launched Advisor Notes Assistant, a GenAI tool, is another testament to this strategy. The Advisor Notes Assistant is designed to enhance operational efficiency and help Sun Life deliver on its purpose of helping clients achieve lifetime financial security and healthier lives.

Laura Money, Executive Vice-President and Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer at Sun Life, stated that the CIO Awards Canada recognition is a demonstration of the power of responsible innovation. Sun Life's innovation strategy is rooted in safety and security, ensuring that emerging technologies like GenAI are implemented responsibly.

With the lessons learned from Iris, Sun Life plans to extend the improvements to its global contact centres, aiming to deliver faster, more personalized digital experiences for clients. The Advisor Notes Assistant, similar to Iris, is expected to contribute to operational efficiency improvements, saving 15-30 minutes of administrative effort per meeting and allowing more time for client engagement.

As Sun Life continues to innovate and transform its digital services, Iris and the Advisor Notes Assistant are set to play significant roles in shaping the future of financial services.