The Internal Revenue Service has begun using voice and chat bots on two toll-free telephone assistance lines and IRS.Gov. The IRs said this month the tools are designed to speed answers for taxpayers with simple payment or collection notice questions.The bots, deployed in English and Spanish, are available to help with questions about making one-time payments and answers to frequently asked questions. They are not designed to handle general tax season questions or provide assistance with a taxpayer's protected account information—they are available only for unauthenticated services,
Those requesting to speak with a customer service representative will be placed in queue for English or Spanish ACS telephone assistance.
Later this year, voice bots will be available to authenticate a taxpayer’s identity, establish payment plans, request a transcript and obtain information about their accounts, such as payoff details. Voice and chat bots are also planned this year for help with more complex issues.
