Accelerating actuarial modeling by modernizing AXIS execution and performance

Author: Julien Maillard, Senior Director - Product Management, Moody's

Actuarial modeling is renowned for being computationally complex and intensive. According to a PWC survey, 94% of actuarial teams want to tackle these issues to increase their efficiency, followed by improving process quality, and expanding the breadth and depth of insights.

Loud calls for modernization come as demands on actuarial teams intensify; expectations around regulatory timelines, model complexity, scenario counts, transparency, and repeatability are rising sharply.

Breaking this demand for modernization down—going faster in a more complex environment, and increasing output quality—looks tough to achieve, though one problem appears easier to resolve: ensuring that actuarial teams have sufficient computing capacity to do their job.

But when IT brings in elastic compute resources, such as operational, infrastructure-first, cloud-based execution platforms, risks can rise. If cloud environments aren’t designed around actuarial workflows, their use can introduce new unpredictability for many actuarial teams.

Run times become harder to forecast, and cost variances widen, as platforms struggle with actuarial realities like run dependencies and recovery paths.

At the enterprise level, these are strategic concerns that can directly affect capital decisions, regulatory confidence, and time-to-insight. Delays, reruns, or cost overruns directly impact reporting timelines and confidence in results.

To support Moody's AXIS™ actuarial system clients today and in the future, Moody's has embarked on a comprehensive modernization program to evolve its platforms and services.

Moody’s Enterprise GridLink (EGL) represents one of the first key deliverables of this initiative, laying the foundation for a more modern and scalable ecosystem.

Cloud orchestration for actuarial modeling

Even when using their preferred cloud environment, clients still spend time managing their infrastructure, troubleshooting system runs, or coordinating fragmented systems.

Using Moody’s deep domain expertise to get the best from advanced cloud technologies, EGL now allows clients using AXIS at enterprise scale to use their preferred cloud environment with the reassurance of a Moody’s managed execution layer. 

Figure 1: How Moody's Enterprise GridLink-as-a-Service (GLaaS) separates control from compute: C4 is the GLaaS client deployed in the client environment, to allow clients to launch EGL runs.

Where performance, cost control, and governance are critical, especially for clients that consume millions of AXIS core hours, EGL will significantly benefit clients by:

• Moody’s AXIS orchestration and operation: Moody’s is responsible for system monitoring, recovery, and run management, built on decades of experience.
• Client cloud control: Client maintains its own cloud preferred provider subscription, retains governance, and commercial leverage.
• Enterprise-grade security: Stringent security controls ensure client compute remains fully isolated, without cross-tenant exposure.
• Purpose-built actuarial execution: EGL tunes client cloud instance to optimize how AXIS behaves during large-scale model runs, stress testing, and regulatory production cycles.
• Lower total compute cost: Reduce licensing fees by running AXIS on Linux and take advantage of spot capacity, where compute costs are a fraction of standard nodes.
• Reduced time to value: EGL is built to optimize end-to-end execution time even with complexity in regulation, to help teams reach decisions sooner.

Greater flexibility and higher availability

With Enterprise GridLink operated directly by Moody’s, this introduces greater flexibility in how compute is provisioned, and clients benefit from faster runs, lower infrastructure waste, and improved cost transparency.

Built-in controls streamline auditing and approvals, standardized processes, and transparent licensing remove operational and commercial friction—all without requiring insurers to build or manage orchestration capabilities themselves. This is all helped by EGL supporting Linux-based execution, a broader range of instance types, and intelligent use of cloud capacity.

With a more reliable and scalable execution environment, actuarial teams can achieve their objectives of increasing efficiency, quality, and depth of insights, and gain something increasingly scarce: time and focus. For senior leaders, this also supports clearer conversations with finance, risk, and IT.

Execution becomes a predictable capability rather than a recurring concern. Costs are easier to understand, making total ownership cost easier to plan and govern over time.

EGL is designed with a future in mind: when actuarial teams are supported by infrastructure that scales with their ambition, rather than constraining it.

Built with decades of actuarial experience

Enterprise GridLink is part of Moody’s long-standing AXIS ecosystem innovation program, central to our commitment to supporting the world’s leading life insurers.

We appreciate that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to actuarial modeling operations; the introduction of EGL now extends the spectrum of available deployment options to enable insurers to match their execution model to their operational scale and cloud maturity.

It is an exciting time as our continued innovation will unlock new opportunities and enable clients to differentiate, adapt, and lead as market expectations evolve.

EGL is available now. To learn more, contact your Moody’s representative.