Avalara Unveils Avi: A Revolutionary AI Network for Tax Compliance Management
Avalara Unveils Avi: A Revolutionary AI Network for Tax Compliance Management
In a significant advancement in tax and compliance automation, Avalara, Inc. has launched Avi, the world's first AI-powered network of compliance agents. This innovative initiative aims to blend artificial intelligence with human oversight, ensuring that enterprises maintain control over their compliance processes while benefiting from automation. With the introduction of Avi, Avalara is set to redefine how businesses handle tax and compliance in a secure, efficient manner.
Understanding Avi and the Agentic Tax and Compliance Framework
Avi is not just any AI; it functions as the lead agent among a network of intelligent agents dedicated to managing various aspects of tax compliance. Organizations can now confidently delegate critical tasks to Avi, who operates with precision and adheres to established compliance standards. Leveraging built-in checkpoints, Avi ensures that every action is supervised, providing businesses with the dual advantage of automation and control.
According to Scott McFarlane, CEO and Co-Founder of Avalara, this new direction emphasizes that automation should enhance control rather than diminish it. "Avalara's increasing agentic capabilities bring intelligence and autonomy to the next level, without compromising control or security," he stated during the launch.
Key Features of Avi's AI Compliance Agents
1. Global Tax Determination and Filing
Avi provides comprehensive support for global tax determination. It seamlessly ingests transaction data, identifies applicable tax jurisdictions, calculates relevant tax rates, and files returns directly with the appropriate authorities—all under human supervision. Businesses can expect an efficient filing process that adheres to local tax regulations.
2. Exemption Certificate Management
Avi's exemption AI agents are designed to scan and validate customer-uploaded exemption certificates. By cross-referencing this data with authoritative registries, these agents ensure compliance with minimal human intervention, thereby minimizing the risk of errors.
3. Cross-Border Compliance
With an increasingly global economy, Avi’s cross-border AI agents are adept at classifying products according to Harmonized System (HS) or tariff codes. They determine duties and check products against trade restriction lists, ensuring businesses remain compliant with international trade regulations.
4. Business and License Registration
For businesses navigating local regulations, Avi facilitates the preparation and filing of registration documents with local authorities, simplifying what can often be a complex process.
5. Property Tax Management
Avi's property AI agents collect and classify fixed asset data, preparing and filing personal property tax returns accurately and efficiently.
6. Audit-Ready Reporting and Insights
Avi continuously generates reconciled reports that are easily understandable and auditor-ready. By linking each number to its source transaction, businesses can significantly boost their audit readiness and confidence at reduced costs.
7. Research and E-invoicing
Avi enhances tax content research by scanning and summarizing primary tax sources, presenting tax rules and regulations in an easily digestible format. In addition, Avi's E-invoicing AI agents ensure that every invoice complies with real-time tax mandates worldwide.
How Avi Works
Avi's operational model emphasizes a collaborative approach between AI autonomy and human oversight. When tasked with a job, Avi meticulously breaks it down into manageable steps, assigning specific activities to respective AI agents while maintaining visibility throughout the entire process. For instance, when preparing a tax return, Avi retrieves and validates all necessary data, generates the return, and secures human approval before filing.
Real-World Application: Example of Tax Filing
1. Analysis: Avi’s AI agents begin by ingesting transaction data, applying country-specific tax rules and calculations.
2. Preparation: The agents generate the necessary tax return documentation based on the collected data.
3. Human Review: At this stage, team members have the opportunity to inspect, edit, and approve the return before any submissions.
4. Filing and Confirmation: Once approved, Avi submits the filing, confirms acceptance, reconciles the information, and maintains an audit trail.
Collaboration with External Systems
Avi isn’t limited to Avalara's platform; it can effortlessly interact with third-party AI agents supporting the Google A2A protocol. This allows for multi-system collaboration to streamline compliance even further. Avi is readily accessible in various environments, such as ERP configurations, Microsoft Outlook, and other popular platforms.
Conclusion
With its innovative capabilities, the launch of Avi marks a new era in tax compliance, blending automation with human oversight. As businesses face increasingly complex tax regulations, Avalara's AI agents are here to simplify compliance processes while maintaining integrity and security. This forward-looking approach is not just about keeping up with automation but also about revolutionizing how organizations manage their compliance landscape.
About Avalara
For over two decades, Avalara has been at the forefront of tax and compliance solutions, assisting thousands of businesses globally. The introduction of the Avi network stands as a testament to their commitment to enhancing compliance processes with cutting-edge technology.