France is the European country that boasts the most private pools. According to FPP data, in 2020 there were at least some 3 million larger than ten square meters. Not all, it seems, are declared by the taxpayers.
That’s what he discovered theFrench revenue agencyrelying on an experimental investigation that involved the use of satellite imagery and artificial intelligence.
The French taxman, using a tool developed by Google and from the Paris-based consulting firm Capgemini was able to find out 20,356 undeclared swimming pools in nine regions of the country.
The experiment lasted a year and made it possible to recover 10 million euros in outstanding taxes. The presence of a swimming pool, in fact, when this is considered (by law) a luxury itemmay result in an increase in taxes on a particular property.
The system developed by Google and Capgemini, however, last April had a high margin of error: 30%, according to the data collected. The software had swapped solar panels for swimming pools, for example, or hadn’t been able to find them pools of water hidden under the trees.
Despite this, the French taxman is keen to use artificial intelligence to investigate as well any undeclared extensions of the buildings. Tests have been carried out to improve the technology used, and the results seem promising: “This is the second stage of our research – said Antoine Magnant, Director General of Public Finance – and it will also allow us to verify if a property is empty and not it needs to be taxed anymore ”.
“We aim in particular at the extensions of the houses, such as verandas – added Maqnant in an interview with Le Parisien – but we must be sure that the software can find large buildings and not a dog’s bed or a children’s playhouse”.