I think the point of this comic is that AI is doing all of the fun creative stuff for us but the jobs that we actually hate doing are beyond its capabilities.
Haven’t most tax returns been automated since way before AI? Most methods can pull and auto-pop all the needed info. Usually after I give it my SSN or sometimes a number or two from the W2 it’s done but for some clicking through review screens.
So what if people with no talent or money for commissions can get some joy seeing their imaginations rendered by a computer? You have to pay some artist or just have the ideas in your imagination.
The government doesn’t have all the data. For example, if you pay a guy to install energy efficient windows, you will need to tell them so that you can get the credit.
What does the last sentence even mean? Let’s just ignore that.
That being said, why do you think the vibe of “doing taxes is a chore” and the meme “they should teach taxes in school” come up regularly?
I can think of multiple ways in which “AI” could help in doing taxes. LLMs could rephrase a form request in multiple ways or easier language to help people understand what is being asked of them. Language models could provide examples and cross references. You could have image models scan and recognize your receipts. A model trained on tax datasets could validate inputs beyond simple syntax / value checking and e. g. ask a person if they really meant to enter that one weirdly high value.
Naturally, the final result needs to be checked by the person submitting it and the program can’t be held liable, but please let’s not ignore the fact that related technology could be employed in a useful manner, I’m tired of discussions where perfect is the enemy of good.
And let’s not pretend doing taxes is incredibly easy for everyone. If you organize all your receipts perfectly all year round and always know what to put into every field of every form, good for you. Maybe there is someone else out there now suddenly having multiple jobs, or a single parent not knowing how and if to file some social benefits, both struggling with their taxes though. Maybe there are multiple countries with wildly varying tax processes, too, of which neither you or I may know anything.
Finally, AI does not always mean a process where a generative model hallucinates data.
I don’t understand why generative AI would be involved in a tax return? It’s just data entry.
If your tax return needs creative assistance, maybe you should go to jail instead?
I think the point of this comic is that AI is doing all of the fun creative stuff for us but the jobs that we actually hate doing are beyond its capabilities.
Haven’t most tax returns been automated since way before AI? Most methods can pull and auto-pop all the needed info. Usually after I give it my SSN or sometimes a number or two from the W2 it’s done but for some clicking through review screens.
You don’t understand, technology bad.
So what if people with no talent or money for commissions can get some joy seeing their imaginations rendered by a computer? You have to pay some artist or just have the ideas in your imagination.
I don’t understand why data entry is even required when the gov has the data. I mean, I do understand, but…
The government doesn’t have all the data. For example, if you pay a guy to install energy efficient windows, you will need to tell them so that you can get the credit.
Clearly you’ve never wanted to submit a seven-fingered hand as part of the return
What does the last sentence even mean? Let’s just ignore that.
That being said, why do you think the vibe of “doing taxes is a chore” and the meme “they should teach taxes in school” come up regularly?
I can think of multiple ways in which “AI” could help in doing taxes. LLMs could rephrase a form request in multiple ways or easier language to help people understand what is being asked of them. Language models could provide examples and cross references. You could have image models scan and recognize your receipts. A model trained on tax datasets could validate inputs beyond simple syntax / value checking and e. g. ask a person if they really meant to enter that one weirdly high value.
Naturally, the final result needs to be checked by the person submitting it and the program can’t be held liable, but please let’s not ignore the fact that related technology could be employed in a useful manner, I’m tired of discussions where perfect is the enemy of good.
And let’s not pretend doing taxes is incredibly easy for everyone. If you organize all your receipts perfectly all year round and always know what to put into every field of every form, good for you. Maybe there is someone else out there now suddenly having multiple jobs, or a single parent not knowing how and if to file some social benefits, both struggling with their taxes though. Maybe there are multiple countries with wildly varying tax processes, too, of which neither you or I may know anything.
Finally, AI does not always mean a process where a generative model hallucinates data.