Tax returns could soon be checked by robots

ROBOTS could soon be checking our tax returns, as the taxman aims to automate millions of its processes.

HM Revenue & Customs is planning to start using artificial intelligence (AI) in “compliance and complex tax cases”, according to Brigid Mcbride, its digital transformation director.

Speaking at a public sector technology event in London, Ms Mcbride said HMRC is already “dipping [its] toe in AI”. The taxman uses social media to help deal with simple queries and has a “virtual assistant” called Rita, which uses robotic technology.

“The pace of change is not slowing, the demands of our customers are growing, and our customers are moving towards self-employment,” Ms Mcbride said.

“The real challenge is building an organisation that can absorb that change and adapt to it.”

HMRC has “asked staff to identify processes they felt could automate,” she said. “We ended up with hundreds of small projects.

The taxman wants to automate 10 million processes by the end of this year.