According to engadget, Intuit just signed a nine-figure deal with OpenAI worth $100 million that will integrate its entire financial software suite into ChatGPT. The partnership covers TurboTax, QuickBooks, Credit Karma, and MailChimp, allowing users to access these services directly through the chatbot. Intuit says this move responds to the “hundreds of millions” of finance questions people already ask ChatGPT weekly. Consumers will be able to research credit cards, estimate tax refunds, and even schedule appointments with “AI-powered tax experts” through the integration. Businesses can get revenue advice and create marketing campaigns using their financial data within ChatGPT.
Financial data meets AI
Here’s the thing: this sounds incredibly convenient. Who wouldn’t want to just ask ChatGPT about their taxes instead of navigating complicated software? But we’re talking about handing over your most sensitive financial information to an AI that’s still famously prone to “hallucinations” and making things up. Intuit says they’ve been working on AI for ten years and launched their own system in 2023, but now they’re outsourcing a huge chunk of their core functionality to OpenAI. That’s a pretty significant shift in strategy.
Accuracy and liability questions
What happens when ChatGPT gives someone bad tax advice that costs them thousands? TurboTax has built its reputation on guiding people through complex tax situations, but AI doesn’t understand nuance the way human experts do. The whole “AI-powered tax expert” thing sounds impressive until you realize these systems can’t actually reason – they’re just predicting the next word. And tax law changes constantly. Can ChatGPT’s training data keep up with the latest IRS regulations? I have serious doubts.
OpenAI’s financial push
This isn’t just about Intuit – OpenAI is clearly making a play to become a trusted financial advisor. Last month they launched ROI, a personal investing app with a built-in chatbot. They’re building an entire ecosystem around financial guidance. But remember when Microsoft’s AI chatbot told users to fall in love with it? Now imagine that same technology telling you which mortgage to choose. The stakes are much higher when real money is involved.
Privacy concerns
Let’s talk about data. You’re essentially giving OpenAI permission to analyze your spending habits, income, and tax situation. Intuit says the advice will be “personalized,” which means the chatbot needs access to your financial data. How is that data being stored? Who else might see it? And what happens if there’s a breach? We’ve seen how quickly AI companies can change their privacy policies. Handing your financial life to a third-party AI service feels like a massive trust exercise that consumers might not be ready for.
