Mortgage Tech Talks

E99: The Secret Battle in AI: Programming vs. Consumers

In this episode, Tom Hall breaks down the hidden competition between major AI companies that most people don't see. Discover why programming has become the dominant use case for AI models—accounting for 50% of all API usage—and why Anthropic (Claude) is quietly dominating with 60% of this massive market.
📊 Key Insights:
Token usage has grown 14x in the past year
Programming went from 11% to 50% of all ChatGPT/Gemini usage in just 6 months
Anthropic controls 30% of the entire AI market through programming dominance
Google, OpenAI, and other competitors are playing catch-up
📌 Timestamps:
0:00 - Opening statement
0:28 - Introduction
1:38 - The problem: What's driving AI growth?
1:55 - How AI companies make money (subscriptions vs. API)
2:46 - Understanding tokens and APIs
4:19 - Shocking token usage data (500B → 7T)
5:29 - Analyzing prompt vs. completion growth
7:31 - Which use cases are driving growth?
8:32 - Programming reveals itself as the leader
11:38 - 50% of AI usage is programming
12:10 - Anthropic's surprising market dominance
13:35 - Market share breakdown
14:18 - The strategic choice for AI CEOs
15:00 - Implications for the next 2-3 years
16:11 - Bold predictions
17:30 - Closing

E98: How AI Could Stifle the Mortgage Industry

What if the biggest threat to mortgage brokers over the next decade isn’t AI replacing your job — but something far more subtle?
In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, we break down a 4-step scenario that has already played out in other financial industries… and could reshape the mortgage landscape in the next 5–10 years if we’re not careful.
This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s a realistic look at how technology adoption, lender expectations, and regulator pressure could quietly divide the industry into two branches — one that thrives, and one that slowly gets left behind.
You’ll hear:
The two “branches” brokers will fall into as AI becomes standard
Why trust at scale could create a massive performance gap
How lenders and regulators might tighten requirements
What happened in the home & auto insurance industry (and why it matters now)
The one thing brokers can control to prevent the mortgage channel from losing innovation
If you care about the long-term health of this industry — and your place in it — this is a conversation you should hear.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why the future of the broker channel may split into two branches01:14 – The real risk facing the industry (it’s not job loss)02:03 – Step 1: The new technology wave begins03:27 – Step 2: Tech adopters vs. non-adopters08:48 – Step 3: How lenders & regulators might elevate one branch13:18 – Step 4: What happens if non-adopters fall behind17:36 – The insurance industry example — and the warning it gives us19:00 – The silver lining and how brokers can protect innovation

E97: Is it time to move on from ChatGPT?

Should mortgage brokers stick with ChatGPT — or is it time to explore the new AI tools that are suddenly outperforming it?
In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, we break down whether brokers should consider switching to alternatives like Google Gemini 3, Grok 4.1, and Claude, all of which are now ranked above ChatGPT in real user preference tests.
We cover what’s changed, why these new models matter, how the AI landscape is shifting, and what this means for your daily workflow as a mortgage professional.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve and get the most out of AI in your business, this episode is worth your time.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why brokers are questioning ChatGPT’s dominance01:26 – The major AI competitors you should know03:43 – How new models like Gemini and Grok are performing08:21 – The shocking ranking: ChatGPT drops to fourth14:48 – Lessons from past tech giants and what it means for AI today

E96: Tech is a Key Ingredient in the Biggest Acquisitions in Mortgages

In this episode, I break down a trend that caught me off guard at the Canadian Mortgage Conference — and honestly, I didn’t fully believe it until I dug into the numbers myself.Technology isn’t just supporting Canadian lenders… it’s becoming the core reason they’re getting acquired, merging, or expanding their reach.
From the Neighborhood x Fisgard deal, to NSO acquiring CMS, to Alta West merging with Premier — the pattern is undeniable. And if you're a broker choosing lender partners or a lender trying to stay competitive, understanding this shift is critical.

E95: How Purelend Uses AI to Turbocharge Mortgage Apps w Lucas Scheer

AI in mortgages that actually saves time, not hype.On this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks I sit down with Lucas Scheer, co-founder of Purelend. We dig into what AI can do today for brokers, why trust still wins in real estate and lending, and how document collection, usable income, and down payment verification can be automated without losing the human touch.
What you’ll learn
The real advantage for brokers who use AI vs those stuck in manual review
How Purelend structures down payment checks, stated income analysis, and doc organisation for lenders and brokers
Where full automation fails and why a copilot model makes more sense
Accuracy, hallucinations, and how to combine human review with AI to raise overall quality
Practical privacy and workflow considerations when rolling AI into your shop
Chapters00:00 AI will not replace you. People using AI will00:26 Set up for the episode00:40 Intro and guest welcome01:01 What Purelend does for brokers and lenders02:24 Lucas’ background, NEO Financial, and the path to Purelend03:10 The 60,000 km motorcycle detour and lessons04:10 Building applied AI before ChatGPT05:13 Pre-2020 AI adoption vs the post-ChatGPT shift06:19 Focusing on outcomes over buzzwords07:33 Media hype, fear, and what actually matters to a brokerage08:28 Useful analogies for explaining AI to clients09:03 Common fears brokers raise10:11 Two brokers, two results. Why leverage wins11:26 Excel analogy and why AI is the new table stakes12:07 Privacy, data, and realistic risk12:46 Will AI do prospecting and client calls13:39 Why trust and emotion keep humans in the loop15:14 Where automation helps and where it breaks16:20 Purelend elevator pitch16:46 Duplicate effort across brokers and lenders17:46 Speed, cost basis, and winning deals18:10 Why this only became feasible recently19:18 Feature set: down payment, usable income, organising docs20:02 Stated income launch and common gotchas21:06 Borrower alerts without adding friction21:39 Full auto vs copilot. Drawing the line24:12 Specific knowledge that AI cannot replace25:38 Borrower portal vision and UX tradeoffs30:44 Accuracy, hallucinations, and safeguards32:27 Probabilistic vs deterministic and hitting 92 to 96 percent35:04 Benchmarking against human accuracy38:50 Supervisors, different error patterns, and combined accuracy40:38 Where to learn more40:55 Close

E94: Recap from Conference

There’s no magic button for AI in the mortgage industry — and that’s exactly what I talk about in this episode.
In this week’s Mortgage Tech Talks, I share my full recap of the National Mortgage Conference — what I saw, what I learned, and why so many brokers are still chasing shortcuts instead of building real systems that last.
I also unpack the biggest question I kept hearing: “What’s the one AI tool I should be using?” The truth? There isn’t one. But there are ways to use AI that actually move the needle — and I walk through a few real examples of that in action.
You’ll also hear my thoughts on privacy, security, and how tech is making a real comeback in the mortgage space right now.
If you’re a mortgage broker who’s tired of surface-level “AI hacks” and wants to understand what’s actually working in our industry — this one’s for you.
Timestamps:00:00 – There’s no magic button for AI00:23 – Welcome back to Mortgage Tech Talks00:39 – National Mortgage Conference recap01:04 – Why this topic matters now01:15 – Key takeaways from the event02:24 – PSA: There’s no silver bullet03:09 – The myth of the “Use AI” button05:07 – Why brokers still want the easy answer06:00 – Trust as a broker’s real edge06:34 – How to choose the right AI tools07:09 – The “one tool” question07:27 – Real examples: AI note-takers and OCR09:27 – The danger of “magic button lite” talks10:09 – Why most brokers fall into the same loop11:18 – A call to focus on solving real business problems11:53 – Revisiting privacy and security concerns13:19 – Regulation, risk, and gray areas14:32 – Tech perception vs. regulatory precedent15:10 – Mortgage tech is making a comeback15:28 – Shoutout: Penalty Mentor15:43 – Shoutout: Ownwell15:58 – Shoutout: BrokerBot16:48 – Shoutout: PureLend17:19 – Final thoughts and outro

E93: What I'm Excited About for the National Mortgage Conference

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, Tom Hall shares a special pre-conference breakdown of the Canadian National Mortgage Conference — including what to expect, which sessions to prioritize, and his own upcoming keynote, “If AI is Already Here, Why Does My Job Feel Exactly the Same?”
Tom covers three major highlights — from economic forecasts by CIBC’s Benjamin Tal, to Doug Adams’ new book on scaling your brokerage, to his own deep dive into the real state of AI in the mortgage industry.
Whether you’re attending the conference or following from afar, this episode gives you a quick, insightful preview of the ideas shaping the future of mortgages, technology, and business in Canada.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – If AI is already here, why does my job feel exactly the same?00:53 – Welcome to Mortgage Tech Talks01:37 – Overview: What to expect at the National Mortgage Conference02:14 – Highlight #1: Benjamin Tal, CIBC Chief Economist03:12 – Canada’s weak economy and rate predictions04:18 – Inflation insights: Why slowing inflation doesn’t mean lower prices05:02 – The shift toward rental demand and what it means for brokers06:15 – The rise of commercial financing and industry implications07:11 – Highlight #2: Doug Adams’ session on The Business of Brokering08:06 – How systems and CRMs are shaping modern brokerages09:08 – Highlight #3: Tom Hall’s keynote — If AI is Already Here, Why Does My Job Feel Exactly the Same?10:58 – Why most AI presentations miss the point11:43 – How technological revolutions actually unfold12:20 – What AI really means for mortgage professionals12:45 – Closing thoughts and conference invite
👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations on mortgage technology, automation, and the future of the Canadian mortgage industry.🎙️ Host: Tom Hall📍 Presented by: BluMortgage
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E92: Future-Proofing Mortgage Brokers with AI

In this episode, we break down a McKinsey report on how global organizations are adopting AI—and what it means for mortgage brokers right now. From marketing and sales to compliance and service operations, we explore where AI is already transforming financial services and how you can leverage it to futureproof your business.
You’ll also hear about Rob Macalister’s take on “vibe coding” and why AI may soon make developing your own tools as common as using email. If you’ve ever wondered whether AI will replace jobs or actually create more opportunities, this episode gives you a clear look at both the risks and the upside.
Timestamps00:00 – Why mortgage brokers need to develop new skills00:40 – Introduction and overview of the McKinsey AI report01:26 – Who McKinsey is and why their data matters02:36 – Breaking down the first chart: AI use in financial services05:11 – What brokers actually do (sales, service, legal, marketing, IT)07:06 – How to start using AI in day-to-day broker activities08:38 – Report data: hiring challenges in AI-related roles11:17 – Why this matters for mortgage brokers (Rob Macalister’s article)13:52 – How AI unlocks opportunities for brokers to build tech15:35 – The job loss question: what the survey really shows18:28 – Which roles and functions will actually grow with AI20:27 – Where brokers should focus to futureproof their careers21:17 – Final thoughts and call to action
Listen if you’re a mortgage broker who wants to:
Understand how AI is reshaping the industry
Learn which skills will be critical in the next 3 years
See how to apply big-picture trends directly to your business
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on mortgage technology and the future of the industry.
#MortgageBroker #AI #MortgageTech #RealEstate #FutureOfWork

E91: AI Clones for Mortgage Brokers? How This Tech Could Change the Industry

AI Clones for Mortgage Brokers? How This Tech Could Change the Industry
In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, we dive into a futuristic—but very real—idea: AI clones. Imagine a digital version of you that clients can interact with online, ask questions, and even hear your voice respond back.
We’ll cover what AI clones are, how they work, and how mortgage brokers and financial advisors can use them today for lead generation, nurturing, and building client trust. This isn’t sci-fi. People in the Canadian financial space are already using this technology.
⏱ Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: What’s an AI clone?00:23 – Why mortgage brokers should care01:04 – How the idea came about01:22 – What an AI clone actually is01:58 – Example: Delphi AI and how it works03:11 – Real-world example with Balaji (ex-CTO of Coinbase)04:12 – How suggested questions work for clients05:11 – Exploring blockchain Q&A with an AI clone06:20 – Voice cloning: live phone calls with AI07:22 – Using an AI clone for lead generation08:29 – Training your AI clone with content08:48 – Business applications for mortgage brokers09:57 – AI clones as nurturing tools11:04 – Privacy, compliance, and risk considerations12:27 – Who’s already using this in Canada13:45 – Addressing the “Will AI replace me?” question15:24 – Where human expertise always wins16:13 – The legacy and future of AI clones16:38 – Final thoughts and wrap-up
👉 If you’re a mortgage broker, financial advisor, or just curious about how AI is reshaping client relationships, this episode is packed with insights you can’t ignore.
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E90: My Hot Take on AI Privacy

In this episode of Mortgage Tech Talks, I dive into one of the most common questions I hear at conferences and panels: “Should mortgage brokers be worried about client privacy when using AI tools like ChatGPT?”
Instead of giving the usual surface-level answer, I take a contrarian approach and unpack why many of the fears around AI privacy are more about perception than legal reality. From comparing ChatGPT to Gmail, to breaking down Canadian compliance laws, this 15-minute rant is all about challenging the myths that keep brokers from adopting powerful technology.
Whether you agree or disagree, this episode will push your thinking and hopefully unlock new opportunities for how you use tech in your business.
Timestamps00:00 – Privacy concerns as a crutch for avoiding tech adoption00:37 – Why this rant started: the Canadian Mortgage Summit panel02:13 – The big audience question: “Should I be concerned about privacy?”03:37 – Compliance realities in a regulated industry05:06 – What I would have answered differently06:00 – Comparing ChatGPT risk vs Gmail risk08:03 – Separating legal compliance vs industry comfort10:08 – Why practical risk feels higher with AI tools11:27 – Do Canadian laws really require data to stay in Canada?13:00 – The myth of “data must stay in Canada” explained14:18 – AI as just another tool: it’s how you use it15:29 – My closing thoughts: stop using privacy concerns as an excuse
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