Tax authorities in France have used AI to find thousands of undeclared private swimming pools.
After an experiment using artificial intelligence, over 20,000 hidden pool were found which has led to windfall of €10 million (£8.5 million) in revenue.
The software was developed by Google and consulting firm Capgemini, and used aerial images of nine French regions as part of a trial run in October 2021.
The regions included in the trial were Alpes-Maritimes, Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Ardèche, Rhône, Haute-Savoie, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire and Morbihan.
Under French law, pools must be declared and can lead to higher property taxes as a result of the increase in property value.
As reported by Le Parisien newspaper, an average pool - measuring 30 sq m - is taxed at €200 each year.
According to authorities, the software - which could now be rolled out nationwide - might have other uses in the future, including discovering undeclared patios, gazebos or home extensions.
Speaking to Le Parisien, Antoine Magnant - the deputy director general of public finance - said: "We are particularly targeting house extensions like verandas.
"But we have to be sure that the software can find buildings with a large footprint and not the dog kennel or the children's playhouse."
