was developed by Google and the consulting and services company Capgemini The system, which was introduced on a trial basis in nine French departments a year ago, has uncovered 20,356 pools, according to the tax office, and is set to be expanded across the country.

Changes to real estate in France must be reported

If changes are made to real estate in France, these must be registered with the tax office within 90 days of completion, which of course also applies to swimming pools. This is because property tax is based on the rental value of a property. For a swimming pool of 30 square meters, this already amounts to 200 euros per year.

The AI ​​is mainly intended to detect unreported additions such as verandas and terraces, but there is also a political and ecological reason why the focus is on swimming pools: French environmentalists are currently even calling for a ban on private swimming pools, and Julien Bayou, the national secretary from Europe-Ecology-The Greens (EELV), points out that it is sensible to restrict the use of water for recreational purposes, but he does not call for a ban.

AI is only 70 percent successful

However, the $24 million AI also made for strange discoveries, which are now said to no longer occur. For example, blue tarpaulins and blue garden tables were also declared as swimming pools, which is why it often had to be checked manually whether it was really a private swimming pool or a coffee party. The AI ​​also cannot recognize pools that are partially covered by trees or canopies, for example.

Philippe Laget, secretary of the CGT Finances publiques union of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, complained that internally the experience with the AI ​​was perceived as rather poor, as there was a 30 percent error rate between what the AI ​​declared to be a swimming pool and what the surveyors actually found.

However, an additional problem in France is the legal situation, as the question is repeatedly raised as to when a swimming pool is subject to tax. Legally only if it is permanently installed, but what about above-ground pools that are only temporarily installed? How much effort does it take to dismantle such a pool and is it taxable? And how strongly would it have to be anchored in the earth to be considered taxable?

But it is only a matter of time before pool owners in France try tricks, for example by tiling the pool not in the usual blue, but in green or red. This probably won't help in the long run (and isn't particularly helpful either attractive), since an AI will certainly be able to recognize diving boards and ladders at some point, but what can you do to avoid the tax?

Article image: Pexels
Sources: Le Parisien , The Guardian

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