UnitedHealth Group on track to invest $1.5 billion in AI

UnitedHealth Group on track to invest $1.5 billion in AI AI is taking hold as major driver in improving the member and provider experience, increasing productivity and reducing administrative burden.

Artificial Intelligence By Susan Morse , Executive Editor | April 23, 2026 | 11:03 AM Photo: Courtesy UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealth Group bounced back financially in the first quarter of 2026, following last year's challenges of medical cost trends and low reimbursement rates."The first quarter unfolded largely as expected, reflecting actions taken in the past several months to drive consistent performance across each business," Chairman and CEO Stephen Hemsley said during Tuesday's earnings call. "All of our major business segments exceeded plan for the quarter."UnitedHealthcare turned around its financial outlook through pricing and affordability initiatives.AI is also taking hold in operations. It has become a major driver to improve the member and provider experiences, increase productivity and reduce administrative burden, Hemsley said. "We remain on track to invest nearly $1.5 billion in AI-related initiatives in 2026," he said.Optum Insight is seeing increased market interest with its AI-first enterprise approach, Patrick Conway, CEO of Optum, said."We are rapidly scaling self-service digital scheduling, including AI-enabled tools that guide patients to the right appointment in the right setting at the right time for them," Conway said. "That's improving access, reducing friction and expanding capacity without adding incremental clinical burden."Member adoption of AI-powered digital tools at UnitedHealthcare continues to grow, Timothy Noel, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Business, said. "Almost half of all members are now registered for and using UHC digital access," Noel said. "We saw 73 million digital visits in Q1, up 42% over the last two years, reflecting sustained and growing engagement with our digital platform. Digital self-service is now the primary way members interact with us, with over 80% of consumer contacts through digital formats and an NPS [net promoter score] in the top quartile of the industry."Digital channel use with providers is also continuing to grow. Transaction volumes are up 75% year-over-year. An estimated 75% of in-network providers are using a portal or API tools, according to Noel. "This improves real-time access to eligibility, benefits and claims status while reducing manual outreach, enabling clinicians to spend more time on caring for patients," he said.Noel also addressed efforts to help independent rural healthcare providers. "We will accelerate payments in all lines of business by 50% for rural hospitals and exempt rural healthcare providers for most medical prior authorization requirements," Noel said. "And we are building network partnerships between rural providers and leading regional health systems."The initiatives will help lower costs and simplify processes for rural communities, he said. CFO Wayne DeVeydt said Q1 adjusted earnings per share of $7.23 was well ahead of expectations. Total revenues in the quarter were $111.7 billion, reflecting 2% growth year-over-year, driven by disciplined pricing actions and member mix, he said. Membership as of the first quarter fell to 49.1 million from 49.8 million at the end of 2025.UnitedHealth's medical cost ratio decreased to 83.9% from 84.8% in the first quarter of 2025, he said, also as a result of pricing discipline, strong medical cost management and favorable reserve development. Email the writer: [email protected] Topic: Accounting & Financial Management, Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, Operations