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The study, conducted by Phronesis Partners on behalf of data and technology company Experian, surveyed 209 senior decision-makers at leading international financial institutions in September 2025.
It found that AI is now widely seen as a business strategy rather than a stand-alone technology decision.
Eighty-four per cent of respondents said AI technology will be critical or a high priority for their business strategy over the next two years. Eighty-nine per cent said that AI will play a critical role across the entire lending life cycle, from origination through to collections.
The shift to AI in the broking world was discussed on Broker Daily’s Business Accelerator podcast, where director Alex Whitlock spoke with Jason Back of Broker Essentials about an emerging industry standard. Back described how technology is increasingly embedded in the “DNA” of leading brokerages and aggregators.
“Mortgage brokers are going to have to go from maybe window shopping with their technology in 2025 to actually going in and making a purchase in 2026,” Back said.
“Those that truly integrate technology now... really put good automation in place, using automated workflows... they’re the ones who actually, I think, really should be leaning into technology.”
The top expected outcome for AI investments among lenders was operational efficiency, which 78 per cent of respondents highlighted. This was followed by improved credit decisions (77 per cent) and better risk mitigation (61 per cent).
“This study helps us better understand the business drivers behind the strong and increasingly fast-moving investments in AI among our financial institution customers,” said Vijay Mehta, executive vice-president of global solutions and analytics at Experian Software Solutions.
“We also have a sense of the factors they must navigate, such as the regulatory environment around AI and data quality.”
ROI, regulation, and data remain key concerns
A variety of concerns around AI remain significant for lenders. Seventy-three per cent of lenders surveyed were concerned about the regulatory environment around AI, and 65 per cent considered having AI-ready data as one of the biggest challenges.
In fact, data quality was considered by respondents as the most critical factor influencing trust in vendors when choosing an AI partner.
“High marks regarding the regulatory environment and data quality underscore the need for explainable AI, eliminating any perceptions of AI as a ‘black box,’ building trust and meeting the highest compliance standards,” said Mehta.
“The top takeaway here is that vendors offering AI solutions must deliver transparent, inclusive AI-powered products and services that are driven by the most accurate data.”
However, challenges persist. More than a third of lenders, 38 per cent, said they struggle to see a return on investment (ROI) from current AI implementations.
The leading barriers to adoption include integration complexity, uncertain ROI, high costs, and a lack of initial expertise.
Find out more about how brokers can accelerate their processes and take advantage of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), at the Better Business Summit 2026, run in partnership with National Australia Bank (NAB).
Taking place in every state across March and April 2026, the Better Business Summit will unpack how brokers can take their business to the next level by harnessing technology, formalising processes, and leading with a growth mindset.
Tickets for the Better Business Summit 2026 are available now, but hurry! The event will sell out!
[Related: AI is reshaping marketing for Australia’s mortgage brokers]