Technology investment is accelerating across the mortgage market. Barclays is reported to be reducing around 5,000 roles while increasing use of AI and other technology, while specialist lender Together has assigned a new automation brief aimed at faster decisions for complex cases. Industry commentary also suggests redesigned journeys could improve underwriting speed without waiting for wider Smart Data reforms.
For advisers, the practical implication is not simply fewer manual tasks. Faster lender processes can raise client expectations around response times, while automated decisioning may make it more important to understand exceptions, data requirements and the reasons a case falls outside a standard lending pathway.
Broker firms should focus AI investment on repeatable, low-risk tasks such as document classification, meeting preparation, case-status updates and quality-control prompts. Human expertise remains central where affordability is nuanced, clients are vulnerable, circumstances are complex or a recommendation requires regulated judgement.