French Tax Collectors Use A.I. to Spot Thousands of Undeclared Pools

In France, permanently constructed pools increase property taxes because they boost a property's value. Pools are taxed by size and according to local tax rates; the average 30-square-meter pool, or roughly 323 square feet, costs the owner about 200 euros in taxes per year. Property taxes are paid to local municipalities. A small minority of France's 67 million citizens own swimming pools, but they have become increasingly popular in recent years. There are over 3 million private swimming pools in France, and over 240,000 were built in 2021 alone, according to France's Federation of Pool and Spa Professionals, an industry lobbying group.