The average American spends 13 hours filing their taxes each year, according to IRS estimates. That’s longer than it takes to binge-watch an entire season of most TV shows.
But new research from Salesforce suggests AI agents could cut nearly two-thirds (62%) of that time as Americans embrace the possibility of agentic government services.
Why it matters: This year, U.S. taxpayers will spend an estimated 7.9 billion hours, or over $413 billion in lost productivity, on tax filing and compliance-related activities. Using agentic AI to save up to 62% of that time — which taxpayers attribute to answering confusing and redundant questions while filing taxes — could translate to as much as $256 billion in productivity.
Already this year, Salesforce customers like 1-800Accountant are starting to deploy AI agents to assist overwhelmed customer support representatives and accountants during the busiest time of year.
Nasi Jazayeri, EVP & GM of Public Sector at Salesforce
“Next year, tax season will look radically different. Already this year, Salesforce customers like 1-800Accountant are starting to deploy AI agents to assist overwhelmed customer support representatives and accountants during the busiest time of year. Next, the government will be able to deploy agents across their tax sites so constituents can more easily find information and speed up the tax filing process. This will help democratize access to tax assistance while freeing government workers to focus on complex issues that require human judgement and oversight,” said Nasi Jazayeri, EVP & GM of Public Sector at Salesforce.
Filing confusion adds time to tax preparation
Americans estimate nearly two-thirds of the time filling out paperwork, such as applying for financial aid or filing taxes, is wasted on confusing or redundant questions.
Over half Americans likely to use agents to complete government forms
Despite the technology’s novelty, 54% of Americans say they’d likely work with an AI agent to complete government forms. And though most Americans prefer interacting with a live person, over a third would choose to collaborate with an AI agent to file taxes, schedule appointments, or apply for or renew licenses.
While Americans are eager for more streamlined interactions, they also make it clear that maintaining connections with public sector workers, data security, and information accuracy is vital.
Go deeper:
- Discover how 1-800Accountant is using Agentforce to streamline routine inquiries during peak tax season
- Learn more about Salesforce Public Sector Solutions
- Learn more about Salesforce Government Cloud
- Explore the latest insights from the Connected Government Report, 2nd Edition
Methodology
Data from this study are from a double-anonymous survey conducted from November 27 to December 23, 2024. The survey generated 11,500 responses from adults across North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe; 1,000 of these respondents were based in the United States.
