UnitedHealthcare Rolls Out AI Companion to 6.5M Members, Aiming for 20.5M
UnitedHealthcare launched Avery, a generative AI companion currently serving 6.5 million employer-sponsored and 160,000 Medicare Advantage members, with rollout planned to reach 20.5 million total members by year-end. UnitedHealth Group is investing $1.6 billion in AI across its platforms, aiming to streamline benefits navigation, scheduling and cost insights for users.
1. Avery Generative AI Launch
UnitedHealthcare has introduced Avery, a generative AI companion within its app and website. Avery uses personalized benefits and demographic data to offer users real-time guidance on coverage, scheduling, cost estimates, rewards and provider searches through conversational self-service capabilities.
2. Adoption and Expansion Targets
Avery is live for approximately 6.5 million employer-sponsored plan members and 160,000 Medicare Advantage members, with a planned roll-out to encompass 20.5 million commercial, Medicare and Medicaid members by year-end.
3. Advocate Support and Efficiency
The AI tool handles member inquiries independently 90% of the time, transferring complex cases to customer advocates along with a full interaction synopsis. This integration reduces repetitive tasks, allowing advocates to focus on higher-value support.
4. AI Investment and Governance
UnitedHealth Group is allocating $1.6 billion in AI investments across over 1,000 solutions this year, with Avery operating under strict oversight and governance frameworks to ensure safety, fairness and privacy in outputs.