ING launches AI agent to speed Dutch mortgage decisions

ING is rolling out an AI agent across the Netherlands to automate document collection, perform checks and route mortgage cases between systems after a pilot in March. Human employees will continue to make the final approvals.

The agent scans applications to identify required paperwork, pulls together documents, runs validation checks and moves cases between internal systems and specialists. It produces a summary of findings and possible outcomes for a bank employee to review and approve.

Tom Degen, head of mortgages at ING Netherlands, said the tool will let staff focus on complex applications and retain personal contact with brokers while delivering faster decisions and clearer outcomes for customers and intermediaries.

ING described the rollout as a way to reduce the waiting time applicants face while lenders gather paperwork and complete checks. The bank began piloting the system in March and has now prepared it for live use nationwide.

A year earlier, ING’s chief operating officer Marnix van Stiphout outlined plans to apply agent-style AI to mortgage processes so customers could provide data and undergo credit checks without speaking to staff for routine steps.

The bank is developing AI in several other areas, including customer identification, call centres, wholesale customer due diligence, retail product personalisation and internal engineering tools.

ING expects some operational tasks to be handled with roughly 25% fewer people once AI is implemented, with the freed capacity redirected to growth activities and more complex work. The bank projects its AI investments will add about €500 million in annual value from 2030 onwards.

Industry estimates suggest generative AI could save hundreds of millions of labour hours and displace tens of thousands of jobs by 2030. Some lenders have announced workforce reductions alongside major AI investments; for example, one European bank has allocated about €600 million for AI and plans to cut around 3,000 jobs.

ING said it will continue testing the agent in live operations and expand tools that speed processing and make outcomes clearer for customers and brokers.