The AI imperative: Cultivating a culture of adoption in mortgage underwriting
The mortgage industry is at a pivotal juncture. Although artificial intelligence has proved it can speed up underwriting and reduce costs, many lenders still rely heavily on manual workflows. According to McKinsey’s State of AI 2025 report, organizations across financial services struggle to scale AI beyond isolated use cases, largely due to cultural and operational barriers. Lenders feel the squeeze to increase throughput without adding staff, a challenge intensified by the Federal Reserve’s June 18, 2025 decision to hold rates steady at 4.25 to 4.50 percent. The obstacle is not the technology itself but the way people embrace it. When underwriters view AI as a collaborator rather than a threat, adoption becomes natural and lasting. Leaders from Ocrolus sat down to share how to make that mindset the norm.
What’s holding back AI adoption in mortgage underwriting
Sam Bobley, CEO
Despite clear productivity gains, many lenders still rely on email threads, paper checklists and swivel-chair data entry. AI initiatives may stall when staff fear that AI will replace rather than assist them. To help combat that fear, Ocrolus created an AI-Empowered Underwriter program to give underwriters foundational knowledge to embrace AI in the origination process and provide tangible use cases to utilize AI in their day-to-day practices.
Results from customers back this approach. American Federal Mortgage Corporation measured throughput before and after rolling out Ocrolus’ AI-powered data and analytics platform and cited that their underwriters reduced their time spent per loan file by 29%. These measurable gains not only justify the investment, but they also create a strong case for linking AI adoption to team incentives.
Lenders exploring AI initiatives may consider tying performance bonuses or recognition programs to AI usage milestones, given those behaviors correlate with efficiency gains. Recognition reinforces the shift in mindset: AI isn’t “extra work” – it’s a game-changing technology that gives you superpowers.
Read more about American Federal Mortgage Corporation’s success here.
AI as an underwriting ally: turning adoption into advocacy
Vik Dua, President
Changing hearts and minds starts with language: assist, amplify, enable. Quarterly hackathons pair underwriters with engineers to automate repetitive tasks and then demonstrate results. Those demos create “aha” moments that ripple across the organization.
Elevate power adopters of AI as champions who mentor peers, collect feedback and influence the AI strategy for your mortgage lending operations, turning quiet victories into visible momentum. Encourage these champions to be a part of the buying process when deciding which vendor to select for your AI needs.
This helps adoption spread faster and more organically than any top-down mandate. Adoption isn’t a one-off event. It’s a capability that must be nurtured, socialized and reinforced until it becomes part of how underwriting teams work by default.
Leadership playbook: from champion criteria to enterprise scale
David Snitkof, GM of SMB
The right champion balances two key traits: deep knowledge of current workflows and an open mind to what technology makes possible. Curiosity, patience and a growth mindset matter more than job title. These individuals are essential for bridging the gap between AI strategy and day-to-day execution.
To drive adoption at scale, start with three concrete actions:
- Invest in learning infrastructure
Provide self-paced courses and sandbox environments that fit uncertain schedules and encourage experimentation. - Tie adoption metrics to rewards
Recognize teams for cycle-time reduction, data-quality gains and actionable feedback that improves performance across the board. - Host open forums for feedback
Monthly ask-me-anything sessions with product and risk leaders keep concerns visible and foster a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.
The payoff is a workforce equipped to consistently harness AI, unlocking faster decisions, higher-quality outputs and a culture of continuous improvement.
Key takeaways
- Transparent outputs, use-case training and certification programs help underwriters embrace AI as a collaborator, not a threat.
- Real-world results, like a 29% time reduction at American Federal, build confidence and justify linking AI adoption to performance incentives.
- Champion programs accelerate adoption when power users mentor peers, shape vendor decisions and drive internal advocacy.
- Executives can scale adoption by investing in learning infrastructure, rewarding measurable outcomes and fostering open dialogue.
- Sustained adoption is a long-term capability that must be nurtured until it becomes second nature in the underwriting workflow.
