Tax authorities and AI go hand in hand
As of 2021, tax authorities use artificial intelligence to improve the detection of undeclared swimming pools. This project, called “Innovative Land”, uses aerial shots to automate property control. By analyzing the captured images, AI makes it possible to quickly and extensively identify undeclared swimming pools. According to the annual report of the Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP), This system makes it possible to find 140,000 swimming pools in 2023, compared to only 20,000 in 2022, a dramatic increase due to the development of the system.
The financial consequences of this huge discovery are significant. In 2023, the regularization of undeclared swimming pools made it possible to recover 40 million euros in additional property taxes for local authorities. According to the Minister of Public Accounts, Thomas Cazenave, the use of AI in this area represents significant progress in the fight against tax fraud. The concerned taxpayers received a letter or email from DGFiP inviting them to regularize their situation online through the “Real Estate” service. Failure to comply with this obligation may result in fines from 150 to 1,200 euros, as well as regularizations of unpaid property taxes.
It’s hard to escape
Artificial intelligence is not limited to seeing the swimming pool. The “Innovative Land” project also provides for extending this technology to detect other undeclared structures, such as buildings and extensions. This will make it possible to target a wide variety of offenses and recover more tax revenue. Aerial shots provided by the National Institute of Geographic and Forestry Information (IGN) are essential for the accuracy of this system.
By automating data processing and using artificial intelligence, tax authorities can now monitor assets more effectively and reduce fraud. The success of this system paves the way for new AI applications in the tax field, promising tighter controls and fairer taxation.