Mortgage lender Newrez has received a positive response to its customer-facing AI tool, signaling a shift in how people buy homes.  

Newrez launched Rezi Mortgage Assistant, its customized ChatGPT tool, in May, and has seen “plenty of usage,” Chief Information Officer Brian Woodring tells FinAi News on the latest episode of the “FinAi Podcast.” 

“That trend of the more sophisticated and informed consumer is going to accelerate,” Woodring says.  

Newrez originated $63.3 billion in mortgage loans in 2025, up 7% year over year, according to parent company Rithm Capital.  

“Millions of our customers are on ChatGPT, and that’s only going to increase over time,” he says. “We’re going out there into an environment where we have inherently a little bit less control, but we wanted to meet our customers where they were, even though it doesn’t give us that same visibility and control that hosting it ourselves does.” 

The AI tool, designed to address common queries about the mortgage process based on Newrez’s guidelines, is also boosting internal efficiencies because customers are more educated when speaking with loan officers, Woodring says.  

“We’re seeing that it’s actually helping our customers be better informed, which for them obviously makes the process a lot less scary and stressful, but it’s a big win for us too because we don’t go back and forth as much,” he said.  

Tools such as Rezi Mortgage Assistant mark an inflection point for the industry as more prospective homebuyers become comfortable using AI for mortgage advice, he says.  

Over the next year, Woodring says he expects more customers “to have an AI agent working with them to help them figure out what they want and how to get it.” 

“You’re going to see that creating a more competitive landscape, which I think is good for everyone,” he said. 

Listen as Woodring discusses Newrez’s approach to customer-facing AI and other AI initiatives.  

FinAi Lending Summit, set for Oct. 7-8 in Las Vegas, will include speakers from Fifth Third and Capital One as well as a fireside chat with U.S. Bank Senior Vice President – Lending Operations Group Manager Suzanne Rathbun. To learn more about the 2026 event and register, visit here.