Nearly 7 in 10 brokers have AI skills but need help taking next step

In the most recent Broker Pulse: Residential Lending survey, Agile Market Intelligence asked mortgage brokers their insights on artificial intelligence tools. New polling highlights mixed levels of readiness among mortgage brokers when it comes to integrating AI into daily workflows. While 1 in 4 already embraced AI, many are curious, some are overwhelmed, and some are still unconvinced.

‍Key stats you need to know

• Nearly 7 in 10 brokers (68%) already have some level of AI skills - from basic knowledge (49%) to confident usage (18%) to highly effective integration (1%).
  
  
• One in four (25%) brokers say they use AI tools regularly and get value from them, while 42% are curious despite being unsure where to start.
  
  
• A minority (5%) of brokers don’t see how AI is relevant to their business, and a few more (13%) have experimented but remain unconvinced of their utility.

Curiosity outweighs rejection

• More than four out of ten brokers (42%) are curious about AI, but admit they don’t know where to start.
  
  
• One in four (25%) brokers are already using AI tools regularly, and report getting tangible value from their usage.
  
  
• Only a small minority said they do not see AI as relevant to their business (5%), and another 13% remaining unconvinced after experimenting. 

The findings indicate that brokers are open to exploring AI, but curiosity often outpaces adoption. The perception of relevance is growing, but skepticism lingers among a small proportion who either see little use case or have failed to see benefits from their early experience of the technology.

“Curiosity is a strong signal, but it must be converted into confidence. Vendors need to make it easy for brokers to test and apply AI in ways that feel directly valuable to their day-to-day work,” said Michael Johnson, Director of Agile Market Intelligence.

Half of brokers already familiar with AI basics, almost 1 in 5 are already ‘confident’ users

• Almost 1 in 2 brokers (49%) already report knowing the basics, but could benefit from more guidance.
  
  
• 9% of brokers say they struggle to use AI, despite trying and another 23% say they don’t know how to use AI effectively.
  
  
• Nearly 1 in 5 brokers (18%) say they are confident in using some AI tools, and an additional 1% saying they’ve integrated AI in their workflow and are highly effective in their use of the technology.

When asked about their ability in using AI tools, the largest group comprising nearly half of brokers (49%) reported knowing the basics, indicating AI familiarity and recognising the need for additional support. Middle ground responses are mixed between those who identify as already being efficient in their use and those who have no idea on how to use AI effectively. 

“Curiosity is a strong signal, but it must be converted into confidence. Vendors need to make it easy for brokers to test and apply AI in ways that feel directly valuable to their day-to-day work,” said Michael Johnson.

What’s next: the path from curiosity to competency

• 68% of brokers already have AI skills: 1% who already integrated AI in their workflow, 18% who are confidently using some AI tools, and 49% who know the basics.
  
  
• Only 18% of brokers show resistance or complete unfamiliarity: 13% who’ve tried and were unconvinced, and 5% who see AI as irrelevant.
  
  
• The adoption gap is narrowing with 25% already using AI and another 42% expressing curiosity.

AI adoption would likely increase when the immediate value of AI becomes more apparent, and brokers can clearly understand how AI tools benefit their profession. Furthermore, closing the skills gap will determine whether AI becomes a transformative force or remains an underutilised tool.

“We're seeing a classic technology adoption pattern. Early adopters are already seeing benefits, while the early majority is forming. The 49% who know the basics need clear pathways to move from awareness to proficiency,” said Michael Johnson.

‍About the report

The July 2025 edition of Broker Pulse is based on responses from 285 residential brokers, collected between 1 and 18 August 2025. In addition to asking about experiences with lenders throughout July, Agile Market Intelligence collected insights from mortgage brokers on artificial intelligence adoption in their daily workflows. 

About Broker Pulse: Residential Lending

Broker Pulse is a monthly survey of residential mortgage lenders conducted by Agile Market Intelligence. It is a community-driven knowledge base of lender performance that offers transparency to the market by surfacing these collective insights from the broker community. This empowers brokers to make informed decisions and enables lenders to benchmark and improve performance.

Participating brokers receive access to a bird’s-eye view of the lender benchmarking data each month. To sign up or for more information visit https://www.brokerpulse.com.au/

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