Discovery is placing artificial intelligence at the centre of its growth strategy, launching what it calls Vitality AI as it seeks to transform how it engages with more than 40 million members across its global network.
The Johannesburg-headquartered financial services group, which reported strong interim results on Tuesday for the six months ended 31 December 2025, said the integration of AI into its platforms is enabling personalised engagement at a scale not previously possible — and that early results are promising.
Group CEO Adrian Gore said the results reflect Discovery’s momentum in building what he described as the next frontier of the company’s shared-value model through AI deployment.
“Discovery has delivered a strong performance during this period, consistently moving ahead of our five-year growth corridor ambition,” Gore said. “At the same time, we have made significant advancements in evolving the Vitality shared-value model, with the launch of Vitality AI positioned to deliver demonstrable and quantifiable value.”
Central to the push is a partnership with Google, announced during the reporting period, which Discovery said is expected to drive increased engagement in Vitality programmes globally. The company pointed to its Personal Health Pathways initiative as an early example, saying it has delivered material increases in engagement and improved health outcomes among participants.
Investing heavily
Discovery is investing heavily in the capability. Its Vitality AI division, which also includes other central costs in the Vitality composite, recorded an operating loss of R155-million for the period — more than double the prior period — reflecting the scale of the investment.
The bet is underpinned by what Discovery describes as its unique data position. With behavioural and health data drawn from more than 40 million Vitality members in over 40 markets, the group believes it is better placed than most to deploy AI meaningfully — particularly as the global “wellness economy” accelerates and the trend towards what it calls the “quantified self” gains traction.
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Discovery said the AI deployment is already translating into tangible financial outcomes through superior insurance margins, stronger actuarial results and more efficient client engagement across both its South African and global operations.
Perhaps the clearest demonstration of Discovery’s technology-led strategy is Discovery Bank, which has quietly reached a significant milestone: profitability.
The digital bank reported normalised operating profit of R75-million for the period, a sharp turnaround that comes after years of heavy investment. Client numbers surged 28% to 1.4 million, with the bank now adding roughly 1 500 new clients daily — a pace Discovery described as a “further acceleration in the acquisition of quality and engaged clients”.
The bank said it performed ahead of plan on all metrics, with strong growth in both deposits and advances. Discovery positions the bank as a key strategic platform, powered by the same data, technology and AI capabilities that underpin the broader group strategy. With access to Discovery South Africa’s 6.5 million-strong customer base — which itself grew 7% in the period — the bank has a significant runway for further growth.
The bank’s performance contributed to a strong set of numbers from the South African composite, which delivered 19% growth in normalised profit from operations to R6.8-billion. Discovery Life grew operating profit by 15%, Discovery Insure by 34% and Discovery Health by 5%.
At a group level, normalised profit from operations climbed 24% to R8.9-billion, while headline earnings rose 29% to R5.7-billion. The normalised return on equity improved to 17.4% from 15.4%.
The global Vitality composite was the standout performer, with normalised operating profit up 41%. VitalityHealth in the UK nearly doubled its operating profit, benefiting from growing demand for private health cover as fiscal pressures strain the NHS.
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Discovery declared an interim dividend of R1.11/share, up 28%, and said it remains confident in achieving compound growth in normalised profit from operations of between 15% and 20% over its five-year horizon. — (c) 2026 NewsCentral Media
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