H&R Block reimagines the tax experience with generative AI
Author: Aditya Thadani, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence Platforms
At H&R Block, our mission is to provide the most accurate, convenient, and affordable tax preparation services in the industry. With our exploratory use of Microsoft OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot, we’ve already seen this vision begin to take shape in new and exciting ways, including the creation of AI Tax Assist, the industry’s first generative AI-powered tax solution for consumers.
Our collaboration with Microsoft has given us a competitive edge by granting early access to cutting-edge AI technologies, such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft Teams Copilot, and GitHub Copilot. By experimenting with these technologies, alongside Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Studio, and advanced machine learning capabilities, we have been able to rapidly iterate and assume a position at the forefront of our industry. Our clients expect this, and it is a significant component of the value we provide.
As we delve into the world of generative AI, we are uncovering its transformative potential not just for the tax preparation solutions we offer, but in our approach to client service, team structure, and our evolution as an organization.
Speedier, more empathetic tax help with generative AI
By combining the expertise of H&R Block’s world-class The Tax Institute and tax professionals with the power and efficiency of generative AI, we can provide real-time, reliable tax return preparation assistance 24/7. In terms of client experience, generative AI reduces friction and delights customers by empowering them to file how and when they want while gaining confidence along the way. As we deploy this technology to provide speedier support and resolution, it is critically important that it models the same care and empathy that our clients have come to expect from our front-line associates.
The evolution of team building in the age of generative AI
Preparing to lead the industry in the age of generative AI requires us to reimagine and evolve the way we design and build teams. Building such solutions requires a diverse cross-disciplinary team drawn from both the “arts” and “sciences,” in a manner of thinking. It is an ongoing process of assembling competencies drawn from product management, experience design, content and conversation design, data science, machine learning, data engineering and software engineering disciplines. Since our traditional architectures designed to ensure separation of concerns are no longer as effective, we have to rethink how we integrate design elements across these disciplines. Testing these systems presents a unique challenge as well. Delivery teams partnered with our front-line associates to deploy a purpose-specific evaluation framework for our generative AI-infused solutions. Each time we release an iteration of our product or service, we analyze the system performance scores across multiple dimensions, providing a more holistic and balanced perspective of fit-for-purpose.
Looking forward: Reimagining the tax experience through ongoing exploration
At H&R Block, we are on an exciting journey to transform, evolve, and harness the full potential of emerging AI technologies. The possibilities for reimagining processes and tools have already led to a significant shift in how we approach and integrate technology in the workplace. Internally, we are mobilizing our team members through hackathon events and have deployed several dedicated teams to identify areas for improvement and innovation. Through our exploratory testing of Microsoft AI solutions, we are enhancing productivity in everyday tasks such as capturing meeting minutes, as well as in the development, testing, and deployment of new technology solutions.
At this stage, our strategy is to continue to learn through experimentation, and deploy the technology where it offers a competitive advantage. As we advance the use of generative AI to support our clients’ tax journeys in various ways, embedding it directly into the tax experience, we anticipate that generative AI will enable us to be more responsive to client needs and deliver a compelling experience. Delivering exceptional service to our clients remains our core priority, and we are eager to explore how Microsoft AI solutions can help propel us towards achieving that goal.
Learn more about H&R Block and how AI Tax Assist provides clients with real-time, reliable tax return preparation assistance.
Aditya Thadani, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence Platforms, H&R Block
Aditya Thadani heads the AI Platforms team at H&R Block. In his current role, Aditya leads a cross-functional team of software engineers, data scientists, and experience designers charged with exploring emerging AI services and reimagining our products, services & client experiences. He is developing platforms to embed AI-based capabilities across all aspects of our business. Before his current role, Aditya led the technology strategy and digital transformation initiatives at H&R Block. Prior to his tenure with H&R Block, he has extensive experience with Industrial IoT platforms and B2B SaaS services.