The French tax authorities have experienced a financial boost following the uncovering of thousands of undisclosed private swimming pools in the country, thanks to the innovative use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ...
AI software, developed by Google and French consultancy firm Capgemini, identified the pools through aerial imagery from nine French regions during a trial in October 2021. The technology could potentially be implemented worldwide.
According to Statista, there were over 3.2 million private swimming pools in France in 2020, with a surge in installations due to employees working from home during the Covid pandemic. Le Parisien newspaper reports that an average 30 sq m (322 sq ft) pool is taxed at €200 (£170) per year.
French tax authorities believe the AI software could also be used to find unreported home extensions, patios, or gazebos, which similarly affect property taxes!
As France faces its worst recorded drought, the discovery of the undeclared pools highlights the need for a "different relationship to water" as suggested by Julien Bayou of France's Europe-Ecology Greens party.
Now, that the French tax authorities have uncovered this pool of hidden assets using AI, British pool owners better be wary; HMRC might just take a dive into their backyards as well.
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