The first AI agent of Blend Intelligent Origination works inside existing lender workflows and guidelines to deliver real-time compliance review, automated follow-ups, and full borrower visibility from first touch to underwriting

Blend Labs, Inc. (NYSE:BLND), a leading digital origination platform for banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders, today announced the launch of Blend Autopilot, the first agent of Blend Intelligent Origination.

Traditional mortgage origination averages 30 to 60 days and costs $11,000 or more per loan; a cycle plagued by batch-oriented review processes where borrowers wait hours or days for a loan officer to review and assess next steps. Blend Autopilot changes that by reviewing borrower documents and application data in real time, completing compliance checks, generating follow-ups, updating application fields, and delivering proactive needs lists in as little as 15 seconds. As a non-decisioning tool, it automates document review and follow-ups but leaves all credit decisions to underwriters and Automated Underwriting Systems (AUS), reducing manual effort, compressing timelines, and engaging borrowers at the moment of intent.

Despite decades of technology investment, mortgage origination has remained a batch-oriented process with borrowers waiting on loan officers and vice versa. That mismatch costs lenders in three compounding ways: borrowers disengage when follow-ups arrive past the moment of motivation, loan officers spend hours on routine review, and inconsistent manual review creates uneven loan quality across an organization. Blend Autopilot eliminates all three.

The timing reflects market demand. A recent National Mortgage News survey found that 57% of mortgage professionals expect AI-driven underwriting to change how the industry works in 2026—the single most cited technology—while over three-quarters of the industry anticipate origination volume growth this year. Additionally, 43% expect automated processes, such as file uploads and document auditing, to significantly change the industry. Financial institutions are investing in AI tools specifically to optimize staff capacity and scale production without proportional headcount increases, making intelligent automation at the point of review a strategic priority.

That gap between borrower action and lender response is where deals are lost. According to Nima Ghamsari, co-founder and Head of Blend, "We know that 53% of borrower interactions occur outside of business hours, and until now, those interactions went unanswered until the next business day. Blend Autopilot changes that. The moment a borrower uploads a document or completes a loan application section, it executes the entire cycle within seconds. The time savings are impressive, but the consistency and quality are what borrowers appreciate."

That responsiveness extends across every borrower action. Whether a document is uploaded at midnight or an income section is completed during a lunch break, the agent parses documents, cross-references application data, checks compliance against the lender's configured guidelines (product guidelines, lender overlays, or custom portfolio rules), and triggers native guided follow-up workflows linked directly to the specific document, deposit, or credit inquiry that prompted them. The loan officer sees a rich real-time activity feed with income breakdowns, compliance citations, and a clear explanation of what was found and why, without opening a single document. The borrower receives an immediate status update and a precise, actionable to-do list while they're still engaged.

"A STRATMOR research study showed that the biggest driver of borrower NPS decline in the mortgage process is unnecessary documentation requests," adds Ghamsari. "Autopilot improves the consumer experience while it shrinks the gap between first application activity and next steps. I'm proud that Blend continues to push origination innovation, and we're looking forward to the feedback from lenders and borrowers."

Blend Autopilot is the first of many agents Blend is committed to bringing across every step of the origination lifecycle. Blend platform customers can activate Blend Autopilot today directly from their Blend Lending Config Center, no implementation project, just a single toggle. Blend Autopilot is currently in preview and free to activate for all Blend platform customers.

About Blend

Blend Labs Inc., (NYSE:BLND) is a leading origination platform for digital banking solutions. Financial providers—from large banks, fintechs, and credit unions to community and independent mortgage banks—use Blend's platform to transform banking experiences for their customers. Learn more at blend.com.

Forward-Looking Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements generally relate to future events, future performance or expectations and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, but are not limited to, our expectations regarding our product roadmap, future products/features, the timing of new product/feature introductions, market size and growth opportunities, macroeconomics and industry conditions, capital expenditures, plans for future operations, competitive position, technological capabilities and strategic relationships, as well as assumptions relating to the foregoing. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from the outcomes predicted. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "could," "would," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology that concern Blend's expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. Further information on these risks and uncertainties are set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to Blend and assumptions and beliefs as of the date hereof. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all risks and uncertainties that could have an impact on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Except as required by law, Blend does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise.

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Blend Launches Autopilot, Completing Loan Origination Reviews in 15 Seconds