A new survey conducted by Lower on September 9, 2026 reveals that almost half of American consumers are comfortable with artificial intelligence (AI) making the critical decision to approve or deny a mortgage application. Of the 1,000 respondents, 49.2% said they would trust AI with that responsibility.
Broad Comfort with AI Across Mortgage Tasks
The poll also measured comfort levels for other stages of the mortgage process. Majorities indicated they would rely on AI to recommend how much to borrow (67.3%), determine qualification (64.7%) and even review financial documents (54.3%). More than seven in ten respondents felt comfortable with AI suggesting a mortgage type.
Human Oversight Remains Essential
When asked what role AI should play overall, 38% of participants said AI can make recommendations but a human should make the final decision. An additional 18.8% were open to AI making some decisions independently, provided major choices still receive human review. Only a small minority—5.2%—were comfortable with AI handling most decisions on its own, and 4.3% would let AI run the entire process without any human involvement.
Experience Influences Trust
Comfort with AI approving or denying a mortgage varied sharply by prior experience. Among those who had already used AI for a mortgage or loan question, 72.1% expressed confidence in AI’s decision‑making power, compared with just 41.1% of respondents who had never used AI for that purpose. Current mortgage holders were also more trusting (58.4%) than consumers who have never had a mortgage and do not plan to obtain one (33%).
Human Help Preferred When Problems Arise
When respondents considered who should resolve an unexpected issue that could delay closing, 54.4% chose a human loan officer, 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 for problem resolution.
What Would Increase Comfort?
The survey asked what would make consumers more comfortable with AI throughout the mortgage journey. The top response (49.1%) was having access to a human whenever they wanted one. A further 38.1% said they would feel safer if a human loan officer reviewed important AI recommendations or decisions.
Industry Perspective
Gino Fronti, Vice President of Product for LOAI at Lower, said the findings reflect a natural progression: “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. This is the largest investment of most people’s lives. Many don’t want to make that decision entirely inside a browser window.” He added that AI can free loan officers to focus on the advisory role that requires judgment and personal interaction.
Implications for Homebuyers and Lenders
For prospective homebuyers, the data suggests that AI tools can speed up research, affordability estimates and document review without eliminating the trusted human relationship. For loan officers, the technology promises to reduce time spent on routine tasks, allowing more focus on counseling borrowers through complex decisions.
Overall, the survey indicates a growing willingness among Americans to embrace AI in the mortgage process, provided that human expertise remains available for critical judgments and problem‑solving.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
