The IRS is exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence to speed up workforce training, especially for new customer service representatives and employees temporarily reassigned into taxpayer services roles. Taxpayer Services Chief Ken Corbin said the agency currently spends about 14 weeks training new customer service representatives, and he argued that training methods have not kept pace with how newer employees use digital tools. He said Artificial Intelligence could act as an assistant that simplifies complex material and shortens the learning process.
Corbin said the effort remains a proof of concept and has not yet been implemented. “We hope to see a more efficient, better-trained workforce in 2027,” he said. The push comes as the IRS works through major staffing changes. In February, the IRS reassigned about 1,500 IT and human resources employees on 120-day details to work in Taxpayer Services. The agency lost 27% of its employees last year, largely through voluntary separation incentives and early retirement offers. It also fell short of its hiring goals for the filing season. The IRS is extending most of the details for another 120 days, and Corbin said many reassigned employees have finished training and are now handling work.
The agency has also introduced a new workforce management tool aimed at reducing time employees spend waiting to assist taxpayers by phone. Corbin said the system has helped the IRS manage staffing more efficiently across phone lines and other workstreams during the filing season. Ahead of this year’s filing season, the IRS lowered its level of service target for phone calls from 85% to 70%. IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank Bisignano told lawmakers that the IRS cut “idle time” in its call centers by nearly 50% during this year’s filing season. Bisignano and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said broader use of Artificial Intelligence and automation tools helped the agency manage a successful filing season despite staffing cuts.
Corbin also said the IRS is moving away from measuring performance mainly through phone service metrics. He said customer service employees handle web chats, paper correspondence and other tasks, and focusing too narrowly on phone calls can distort staffing decisions and hurt other parts of the operation. The agency is instead emphasizing a more complete view of taxpayer service across online, in-person, phone and web chat channels. Even with increased automation, Corbin said human involvement will remain central in contact center operations.
