French Undercover Pools Uncovered By Artificial iIntelligence

Over 20,000 hidden pools were found after an Artificial Intelligence (AI) experiment. They have generated about €10 million (£8.5 million) in revenue, according to French media. Because they increase property value, pools can result in higher property taxes and are required to be declared under French law. During a trial in October 2021, the software—which was created by Google and the French consulting firm Capgemini—found the pools on aerial photographs of nine French districts.

The trial included the regions of Alpes-Maritimes, Var, Bouches-du-Rhône, Ardèche, Rhône, Haute-Savoie, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire, and Morbihan; however, tax officials say it may now be implemented countrywide. According to data portal Statista, there were more than 3.2 million private swimming pools in France in 2020, and business was growing even before the Covid pandemic.

However, as more employees choose to work from home, the number of pools installed increases. A typical pool of 30 sq m (322 sq ft) is taxed at €200 (£170), according to the Le Parisien newspaper.

The software may potentially be used to identify gazebos, patios, and unreported home additions that affect property taxes, according to the tax authorities.

"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," Antoine Magnant, the deputy director general of public finances, told Le Parisien.