The US mortgage industry is on the cusp of a significant technological shift driven by two key forces: the retirement of ICE Mortgage Technology's SDK and the emergence of AI solutions that will transform lender operations.
The ICE SDK Retirement and Its Impact
Recently, ICE Mortgage Technology announced it will retire its SDK, a foundational tool for many mortgage lenders. This decision is expected to disrupt the industry, with over 50% of mortgage lenders facing the need to refactor major portions of their existing technology stacks. For an industry known to operate in 8-12 year technology cycles, this moment marks a critical turning point. The previous cycle focused on API enablement and SaaS-based solutions—now, the industry is overdue for the next evolution.
The retirement of the SDK underscores the need for a modernization push, but it is AI-driven automation that is poised to take center stage in this new era of mortgage technology.
AI: The Future of Mortgage Operations
While much of the current AI discourse revolves around generative AI chatbots, the real game-changer for mortgage lenders lies in AI’s ability to re-engineer business processes. Companies like Brimma Tech are at the forefront, offering AI solutions that drastically reduce manual workloads while enhancing the productivity of key knowledge workers such as loan product specialists, underwriters, and secondary marketing professionals.
Unlike the previous technological wave, which focused on API connectivity, the next leap will be in AI-powered automation. Solutions like Vallia AI, for instance, are designed to transform every stage of the mortgage process, from automated underwriting to advanced document handling and validation. These tools eliminate time-consuming manual processes like data entry, stare-and-compare document reviews, and repetitive loan recalculations
Unlocking the Full Potential of Knowledge Workers
The shift to AI won't just streamline back-office functions—it will also maximize the efficiency of knowledge workers. AI assistants can handle routine tasks, such as generating underwriting summaries, collecting borrower information, and verifying compliance, allowing specialists to focus on higher-value activities. For instance, Vallia AI Writer generates persona-specific content and summaries for underwriters, speeding up decision-making without sacrificing accuracy.
A More Efficient Future
The results of this AI-driven shift will be profound. Much of the linear process that lenders follow today will be transformed as AI-powered tools become process-aware and know when to automatically perform rote tasks. And AI machine learning will not only know how best to prioritize work for optimal pull-through, it will be constantly improving upon its algorithms with every loan processed.
The Road Ahead for Mortgage Lenders
As AI continues to evolve, mortgage lenders must recognize that the upcoming changes go beyond incremental improvements—they represent a fundamental rethinking of how business gets done. The shift from manual processes to AI-enabled systems offers a roadmap for lenders to modernize their operations, reduce costs, and remain agile in a dynamic market.
For lenders who haven't yet embraced this shift, the retirement of ICE's SDK is a timely reminder: adapt now, or risk being left behind.
About Brimma
Founded in 2016, by a former executive of Ellie Mae, IBM, and Palisades Technology Partners, Brimma was created to deliver innovative software solutions to mortgage lenders who need holistic solutions to the technology problems that have plagued the industry for decades. We know the only thing you hate more than your LOS is the idea of implementing a new LOS. We have felt your pain…and it is what drives us to build solutions that recognize that technology for mortgage lenders is unique.
