As the IRS is continuing to navigate through an unprecedented amount of influx calls they are improving methods in order to provide taxpayers with guidance this tax season. The IRS has enacted artificial intelligence in hopes of expanding options taxpayers have to get their questions answered. They are introducing virtual bots capable of voice and text chat features. These bots can be found by visiting the IRS website or calling either of their two toll-free numbers. 

Benefits

Customer Service Representatives spend approximately 20 minutes on each phone call. The bots will decrease the time that taxpayers have to wait on hold. They will also be available in English and Spanish. It is important to note that the bots are only able to answer certain questions that would have straight forward answers such as: 

• Simple/one time payment
• Collection notice 
• Frequently asked questions

Future capabilities 

Although this is just the beginning, bots currently provide unauthenticated services, meaning they cannot answer questions that contain taxpayer’s protected account information.

However, bots’ limitations are not projected to last forever. In the coming months the IRS plans to allow taxpayers use the bots to: 

• authenticate their identity 
• establish payment plans
• request a transcript
• obtain information about their accounts, such as payoff details.
• And more complex topics/issues later in the year

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