- H&R Block (HRB, Financial) partners with OpenAI to enhance tax services using generative AI.
- 60,000 tax professionals across 9,000 locations to benefit from the new AI solution.
- Full deployment planned for Tax Season 2026, with initial rollout later this year.
H&R Block (HRB) has announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to develop a generative artificial intelligence solution aimed at enhancing tax preparation services. By combining OpenAI's advanced models with the expertise of H&R Block's The Tax Institute, the initiative intends to provide real-time, personalized tax guidance to support their network of 60,000 tax professionals, who serve millions of clients across 9,000 locations.
The collaboration is designed to leverage The Tax Institute's expertise in federal, state, and local tax codes, offering personalized assistance based on vetted content. The initial phase of this project is set to launch later this year, with a complete deployment targeted for Tax Season 2026. This development builds on the success of H&R Block's existing AI Tax Assist program, which was introduced before tax season 2024 to streamline the online DIY tax preparation process for their 20 million clients.
This partnership not only enhances the service delivery capabilities of H&R Block but also represents a significant technological investment. The integration of AI aims to improve operational efficiency, enabling tax professionals to handle more complex cases efficiently and improve the consistency and accuracy of tax preparation services. H&R Block's hybrid approach combines human expertise with AI capabilities, positioning them as a formidable player in the competitive tax preparation industry and creating a potential competitive advantage. Through this partnership, H&R Block is poised to adapt to industry digitization while upholding their core value proposition of human expertise.
