Tax complexity is on the rise. Is your approach keeping pace?

To make that complexity manageable, KPMG developed Digital Gateway: a modular platform that brings together all of an organization’s tax processes. “It’s a one-stop shop. The client logs in once and gains access to all data, documents, workflows, modules, and applications for the various tax obligations. From there, they can also collaborate directly with our tax specialists,” says Canterini.

The platform provides users with a real-time overview of their tax obligations worldwide. A traffic light system immediately shows where action is needed and the news tracker keeps everyone up-to-date with the latest changes. If a tax deadline changes in a particular country, the system automatically updates accordingly.

A new AI layer is designed to save users even more time. “Suppose a tax manager wants to know the effective tax rate of a hundred entities worldwide. In the past that meant opening a hundred documents. Now, he asks the AI assistant a single question, and it searches through the relevant documents and provides the overview,” says Steppé.

Sifting through various tax returns is also significantly faster. “That reduces manual research and preparatory work, giving employees more time for in-depth analysis and well-informed decision-making,” says Canterini.

AI also raises questions, including about the reliability of its responses. KPMG mitigates that risk with AI personas: custom-built assistants that are fed relevant legislation, expertise, and business data. As a result, their reliability is higher than that of a generic model.

The platform also operates using the latest AI models in a secure environment. KPMG recently entered into a partnership with Anthropic (Claude), which is being rolled out globally in phases and is fully integrated into Digital Gateway.

According to Steppé, the question is not whether technology can enhance tax operations, but whether organizations can afford to fall behind. “Tax and technology are evolving rapidly. Those who have to bear all those investments themselves will constantly fall behind. By connecting to KPMG Digital Gateway, companies benefit from KPMG’s investments in technology and AI, for experts and clients worldwide.”

Moreover, the combination of increasing tax complexity and rapid technological evolution means that organizations must constantly adapt their operations. This requires not only technology, but also the right expertise to interpret those insights and apply them in practice. At KPMG, you can count on a reliable partner to guide you through this process from start to finish.

This article was created in collaboration with De Tijd and L'Echo.