Matt Smith

Matt Smith

As a kid, I dreamed about inventing a machine that could do my homework and chores for me. Turns out, I was just a few decades early. I’ve always loved solving problems, exploring new technology, and finding the right tool for the job. Today, that curiosity has me spending a lot of time thinking about one question: How can people use AI to do better work without losing the human judgment that makes the work valuable? I’m cautiously optimistic about AI. I don’t believe it will solve every problem, replace every job, or magically level the playing field. Like any powerful technology, it can be useful, overhyped, misused, and sometimes just plain wrong. But I do believe AI is a multiplier. People and organizations that learn how to use it thoughtfully can become faster, more capable, and more effective. That’s where I see my role: helping bridge the gap between people and AI. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, digital communications, data analytics, and management strategy – and AI education through MIT Sloan and the University of Texas McCombs School of Business – I help organizations cut through the hype, choose the right tools, build practical workflows, and use AI responsibly. I’m not an insurance insider. I’ve never worked inside an agency. What I bring instead is more than 16 years working alongside independent insurance agents through my work with IIAT: close enough to know the industry’s real problems, but far enough outside it to see solutions the industry itself often misses. That distance is useful. Agents often know only the tools and solutions built specifically for their industry, which narrows what they think is possible. My job is to bring in ideas, tools, and ways of working from outside the industry, then translate them into something independent agents can actually put to work.

AI

"Did a Robot Write This?" How to Answer When Clients Ask About AI

October 8, 2026 10 min read

AI

There Is No Magic Prompt. There's a Conversation.

September 29, 2026 8 min read

AI

You Have the Vision. Now Build It With AI.

September 21, 2026 14 min read

AI

Three Insurance Tasks I'd Give AI Today

September 14, 2026 11 min read

AI

ChatGPT Isn't an AI Strategy: From Prompts to Workflows

September 8, 2026 8 min read

AI

How Independent Insurance Agents Can Actually Use AI

August 31, 2026 5 min read

AI

AI Watermarks Explained: What Insurance Agencies Need to Know

August 24, 2026 15 min read

AI

What Is Vibe Coding? A Practical Guide for Insurance Agencies

March 31, 2026 5 min read

AI

ChatGPT Walked So AI Agents Could Run: How AI Agents Go Beyond LLMs

March 2, 2026 3 min read

Agency Compensation

How Compensation Data Can Guide Your Agency in 2026

January 19, 2026 2 min read

AI

Canva: Your Secret Weapon for Marketing Magic

February 26, 2025 8 min read

Scales sitting on top of laptop keyboard with code on screen

AI

Regulating AI in Insurance: Texas’ TRAIGA Bill Could Set a National Trend

February 17, 2025 3 min read

Load More Stories

Data

From Insight to Action: Using Compliance Data to Drive Real Growth

October 8, 2026

Automation

AI in Action: Streamlining Client Intake and Insurance Applications

September 29, 2026

Catalyit Coffee Chat with Sembley

Sembley

Catalyit Coffee Chat with Sembley

September 23, 2026