The role of the aggregator is changing as ai adoption in the broking industry accelerates. Mortgage Choice CEO Anthony Waldron argues that aggregators must go beyond simply providing access to ai tools. Through co-developed Gemini Gems, a virtual AI Academy and hands-on training, Mortgage Choice is building genuine capability across its network of over 1,100 brokers. The goal is to save brokers real time on administration without undermining the customer relationships at the centre of their business.
Aggregators have historically connected brokers to lender panels and compliance frameworks. As ai adoption accelerates, that responsibility has expanded to include how brokers safely use new technology. Mortgage Choice CEO Anthony Waldron puts it directly: 'A broker's greatest competitive advantage is the relationship they've built with their customers. Aggregators have a responsibility to help brokers safely integrate AI solutions that help them streamline the most time-consuming parts of their day so brokers can spend more time nurturing their customer relationships.' Simply opening the door to ai tools is no longer sufficient. Waldron argues the aggregator must vet solutions, co-develop them with brokers and build confidence across the network before widespread rollout.
In early 2025, Mortgage Choice gave its network of over 1,100 brokers secure access to Google's Gemini. Since then, the aggregator has custom built over a dozen Gemini Gems, agents designed to save brokers time across common daily tasks. South Melbourne broker Paul Williams was an early user. 'Giving us secure access to Gemini and custom-built Gems was one of the best things Mortgage Choice has done in recent years,' Williams says. Specific Gems include a Meeting Assistant, a Company Financials Gem and a Document Verification Gem, each targeting a distinct and time-consuming part of the broking workflow.
The time savings are concrete and task-specific. Williams says the Meeting Assistant alone is 'saving me around 30 minutes per meeting' by capturing notes that can be used to draft follow-up emails and handover notes for his team. The Company Financials Gem saves hours by extracting income figures from clients' tax returns and financial statements. The Document Verification Gem can 'summarise a 200-page Contract of Sale in seconds, to identify details like special conditions and body corporate minutes,' Williams says. Across a full working week, these savings add up to meaningful reductions in administrative burden for brokers running busy practices.
Mortgage Choice developed its ai tools through direct collaboration with its broker network, using working groups and pilot groups to shape each solution. Waldron says, 'Our broker working groups and pilot groups have been critical to helping our teams identify the parts of a broker's workflow where AI can help them access the information they need sooner or complete tasks faster.' Early agents handled meeting notes, summaries and email drafts. More recently, the aggregator has built agents for credit analysis, strategic growth and back book management. Building with brokers, rather than for them, means each tool reflects how brokers actually work day to day rather than how developers imagine they might.
Access to ai tools without proper support creates friction rather than efficiency. Waldron says, 'Introducing new tools and technology without the right training and support can create friction and overwhelm for users.' To counter this, Mortgage Choice runs a virtual Mortgage Choice AI Academy, ai-focused Professional Development Days and in-person workshops delivered by state teams across the country. These programs are designed to help brokers embed ai into their workflows confidently and consistently. The focus is on capability building: making sure brokers understand not just how to use a tool but when and why to use it within their specific day-to-day processes.
By handling administrative tasks that pull brokers away from client interaction, ai tools allow brokers to be more present and responsive. Williams notes the Meeting Assistant changed how he runs appointments: 'The thing I love most about the Gem is that it has allowed me to be more present in meetings because it captures the information I need.' The Document Verification Gem has also had a direct impact on lender relationships. It 'has really helped reduce the number of follow-ups we receive from lenders, which saves me time and enables me and my team to deliver a better customer experience,' Williams says. Less administration means more time with clients.
Not all ai adoption is equal. Waldron argues that the quality of adoption matters more than the speed of it. 'The brokers best placed for the future won't necessarily be the ones who adopted AI earliest; they'll be the ones who do so in a considered way to find tangible benefits, consciously deciding where they bring the most value to a client relationship and where AI can bring the greatest value,' he says. For Williams, that means using ai for document analysis and note-taking while staying fully present for client conversations. The aggregator's job, Waldron says, is to make that kind of intentional integration possible across the entire broker network.
Anthony Waldron: chief executive officer, Mortgage Choice
Paul Williams: mortgage broker, Mortgage Choice South Melbourne; early adopter of Mortgage Choice's Gemini Gems program; participant in the Document Verification Gem pilot