Sophia Nicole Salivio
news editor
ING has introduced agent AI to support mortgage applications in the Netherlands and is currently rolling it out more broadly after a pilot.
This tool is intended for mortgage transactions that require manual valuation. Analyze applications and help staff understand the details of each case, explain possible outcomes, and recommend next steps.
The employee remains responsible for all appraisals and makes the final decision on each mortgage application. The system aims to reduce delays caused by document checks and handoffs between in-house systems and experts.
The move comes as financial institutions face pressure to reduce mortgage turnaround times while maintaining oversight of decision-making. ING processes a large number of mortgage applications every day in the Netherlands, one of the major retail banking markets.
Mortgage loan procedures
Mortgage approval often involves gathering income records, identification, and property information before the lender reaches a decision. Cases that deviate from standard criteria may require manual review, increasing wait times for customers and brokers.
The pilot focused on these more complex applications. This tool is designed to take over some of the assessment work, freeing up staff to spend more time on cases that require further consideration and direct contact with intermediaries.
“With Agent Mortgage Assistant, we are taking the next step in supporting mortgage applications, offering customers and brokers faster decision-making and clearer outcomes. By analyzing cases, providing insights and guiding decision-making, we take on some of the valuation work, freeing up our colleagues to focus on complex applications and personal contact with brokers,” said Tom Degen, Head of Mortgage Loans at ING Netherlands.
Deployment will occur in stages. As this system expands, it is expected to take on more operational tasks within the mortgage process.
AI monitoring
ING announced this development as part of its broader use of artificial intelligence across its products, processes and customer interactions. Banks test tools in limited settings before expanding them to show measurable results.
The use of AI in lending decisions is receiving close attention across the financial industry due to questions about accountability, accountability, and customer treatment. ING said Mortgage Assistant operates within its governance standards and its decisions remain accountable.
“For customers, it’s not about the technology itself, it’s about getting clear, reliable answers they can trust,” said Bahadir Yilmaz, Chief Analytics Officer at ING.
He added: “This pilot shows that agent AI can help process mortgage applications more efficiently, while keeping decision-making accountable and robust within ING’s governance and customer-first standards.”
The Netherlands is one of Europe’s most developed mortgage markets, and major financial institutions have invested in digital tools to streamline underwriting and customer service. ING’s latest developments demonstrate how banks are beginning to apply new forms of AI to administrative and decision support functions while maintaining formal accountability to human staff.
The system aims to increase consistency in mortgage processing as it can be scaled across more applications while ING employees continue to make the final decision in every case.
