First AI Movers: Tjerrie Smit, Chief Analytics Officer at NN Group
First AI Movers: Tjerrie Smit, Chief Analytics Officer at NN Group
TL;DR: Learn about the NN Group AI strategy from CAO Tjerrie Smit. Discover their people-first 'two-minute company' vision for financial services.
"The Two-Minute Company"
For Tjerrie Smit, Chief Analytics Officer at NN Group, the core of the NN Group AI strategy isn't about deploying AI everywhere — it's about deploying it where it matters most.
AI-Agents: Powerful, But Not a Universal Solution
Smit is clear-eyed about where AI-agents deliver real value. Not every process needs intelligence — some are simple decision trees that work perfectly well on their own. But when complexity enters the picture, AI-agents become transformative.
Consider a customer who finishes an evening shift at 11 PM and wants to apply for a mortgage. Traditionally, that request waits until business hours. With AI-agents, NN Group is working toward handling that process efficiently and in a user-friendly way — any time of day. The same logic applies to insurance claims and other customer inquiries.
Smit has a vivid internal shorthand for this vision: the two-minute company — an organization where customers can manage their affairs in just a few minutes, fast and convenient, whenever they want.
Large Language Models: Not Optional
The rise of Large Language Models has reset consumer expectations. People experience the power of conversational AI daily, and they now expect the same fluency and ease from their financial service providers. For Smit, this makes adoption a necessity, not a choice.
The technology enables a complete redesign of both customer-facing services and backend operations. But Smit offers a nuanced take on competitive advantage: AI won't provide a lasting edge. At most, early movers gain a first-mover advantage — and NN Group intends to be among them.
People Before Technology: The Core of NN Group's AI Strategy
Perhaps the most striking part of NN Group's approach is how firmly it centers on people. Smit emphasizes that success isn't determined by the technology itself but by how employees interact with it.
NN Group has launched an AI literacy program spanning all 16,000 employees, a commitment that mirrors large-scale AI Training for Teams. The training goes beyond teaching people how to use AI tools — it connects the technology to NN's broader transformation strategy and, crucially, to what it means for each individual employee. How can you contribute? How does your role evolve?
The principle of lifelong learning has been part of NN's culture for years, but AI has accelerated it dramatically. Smit also notes an unexpected catalyst: widespread media coverage of AI developments has raised public awareness, which NN sees reflected in strong internal demand for its training programs.
Further Reading
- ABN AMRO's GenAI Plans: AI Execution Lessons for C-Suites
- AI Transformation Guide: 6 Enterprise Strategies for 2025
- Why 77% of AI Projects Fail (And How the 23% Succeed)
- AI in the Boardroom: Impatience & Leadership in the Age of Speed
Written by Dr Hernani Costa, Founder and CEO of First AI Movers. Providing AI Strategy & Execution for EU SME Leaders since 2016.
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