A recent national survey conducted by Lower on September 9, 2026, asked 1,000 U.S. consumers about their comfort level with artificial intelligence (AI) handling various steps of the mortgage process. The poll, weighted and stratified by Pollfish, found that 49.2% of respondents are comfortable with AI making the final approval or denial of a mortgage application.
Broad Comfort with AI in Early Mortgage Tasks
Comfort levels rise for less consequential tasks. More than two‑thirds of participants said they are comfortable with AI recommending how much to borrow (67.3%) and determining whether they qualify for a mortgage (64.7%). A solid majority (54.3%) also trust AI to review their financial documents, and 71% are comfortable with AI recommending a mortgage type.
Human Oversight Remains Important
When asked what role AI should play overall, 38% of respondents said AI can make recommendations but a human should make the final decision. An additional 18.8% are comfortable with AI making some decisions independently as long as major decisions receive human review. Only 5.2% would let AI handle most mortgage decisions on its own, and 4.3% would allow AI to run the entire process without any human involvement.
Experience Drives Higher Trust
Consumers who have already used AI for a mortgage or loan question show markedly higher comfort, with 72.1% supporting AI‑driven approval or denial, compared with 41.1% of those who have not used AI for that purpose. Similarly, current mortgage holders are more trusting—58.4% are comfortable with AI making the final decision, versus just 33% of respondents who have never had a mortgage and do not plan to obtain one.
When Problems Arise, People Want a Person
In a scenario where an unexpected issue could delay closing, 54.4% of respondents said they would turn to a human loan officer first, while 28.4% preferred a combination of a loan officer and AI. Only 7% would rely solely on an AI‑powered mortgage assistant. Overall, 82.8% selected an option that includes a human loan officer when a problem threatens closing.
Key Factors for Greater Comfort
The survey also asked what would make consumers more comfortable with AI throughout the mortgage process. The top response (49.1%) was having access to a human whenever they want one, followed by 38.1% who want a human loan officer to review important AI recommendations or decisions.
Industry Perspective
“People like to start the mortgage process online, from getting their questions answered to getting pre‑approved. But at some point they want an advisor. They want somebody in an advisory role before they make the final decision,” said Gino Fronti, vice president of product for LOAI at Lower. “Technology is taking the paperwork off our plate, not the relationship. It frees a loan officer up to do the part that actually takes judgment, which is advising.”
Implications for Homebuyers and Lenders
These findings suggest that AI can play a larger role in streamlining routine mortgage tasks—such as rate comparison, affordability estimates, and document review—while preserving the human relationship that many borrowers consider essential for major decisions and problem resolution. For loan officers, the shift could mean spending less time on repetitive paperwork and more time providing personalized guidance.
As AI continues to integrate into the mortgage industry, the balance between efficiency and human oversight appears to be the key factor shaping consumer acceptance.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
