Why your export business should adopt AI-infused tax tech in FY2026

Techday NZ

6 hours ago

Smart sellers are embracing the disruptive power of AI and it's time you did too.
Does your export business rely on legacy tax compliance software to support its overseas operations? If you answered in the affirmative, you're far from alone.
In 2025, far too many Australian exporters continue to use manual and semi-manual processes in the back office and it's to their detriment, slowing them down, holding them back and exposing them to unnecessary and entirely avoidable risk.
Smart operators, on the other hand, are embracing AI-infused compliance solutions with gusto – and getting a head start in experiencing the operational benefits of next generation tech.
If you're wondering whether it's worth joining their ranks in the upcoming financial year, here are a couple of reasons why embracing this transformational technology makes a stack of sense for Aussie exporters of all stripes and sizes.
HS code hassles sorted in seconds
In use in more than 200 countries, Harmonised System (HS) codes enable international trade to be conducted efficiently at scale. While they make it easy for Customs services to determine what tariffs they should be levying on imports and exports, choosing the right ones to use isn't always a simple matter for exporters operating in manual mode. Coffee, for example, doesn't have a single code; it has three, depending on whether the beans in question are roasted, unroasted or decaffeinated.
It's also extremely easy to make mechanical errors that result in major mess-ups in the clearing house. The HS codes for diamonds and mushrooms differ by only a single digit but the products themselves are taxed very differently in most countries.
Incorrectly applied codes can result in shipments being rejected, confiscated or held up and fines being levied on the offending sellers.
Exporters that have embraced and deployed AI-infused tax compliance technology from a vendor that's invested in keeping its platform ahead of the tech curve don't have to contend with these issues. Add it to your fintech stack and you too will be able to assign the right HS codes to your products, every single time.
And quickly too. AI allows product catalogues comprising thousands of lines to be coded within 24 to 48 hours, rather than the weeks and months it would take to accomplish the same task manually.
Tariffs and taxes determined in a trice
It's a similar story when it comes to keeping on top of – and correctly calculating! – the taxes and tariffs that need to be added to goods and services before they're sold and shipped abroad.
Doing so manually can be a time-consuming exercise at the best of times and a downright risky one in the unpredictable trading environment that's emerged since US President Donald Trump took office earlier this year.
Getting your numbers wrong can see your parcels stuck in transit, your customers stiffed with unexpected charges and your business hit with fines from tax authorities that have zero tolerance for overseas sellers that aren't playing by their rules. And not to mention the reputational hit your brand can take in the ecommerce marketplace inextricably tied to social media platforms.
Deploy AI infused compliance technology and these risks get relegated to the "done" box. That's because the right software provider can simplify and streamline the essential, mission-critical tasks associated with the tax compliance process – in addition to code and tax classification, think registration, licensing, calculation, document management, reporting and e-invoicing – for more than 100 countries around the globe.
Once it's live in your back office, among other compliance tasks, your team will be able to calculate a wide range of indirect taxes in real time, including US import duties and the differing array of sales taxes and charges levied (in over 13,000 taxing jurisdictions!) by that nation's 50 states.
Staying in step with the State
Need more evidence that AI technology makes sense for your business? You may choose to consider the fact that governments and customs authorities around the world are themselves using AI to efficiently and effortlessly determine whether the exporters and importers they engage with are doing things properly.
Equip yourself with the same tools and technologies they're using on docks and in customs clearing houses, and you'll stand a better chance of dispatching and delivering your overseas sales with zero hold-ups or hassles, secure in the knowledge you've done everything right.
Strengthening your export operations in FY2026
If you're already selling your goods and services offshore, you'll likely need little convincing of the benefits: increased sales, a bigger footprint and the security that greater diversification can deliver.
Optimising your operations with AI infused tax compliance technology can enhance these benefits and underpin your ongoing overseas success. If profitable growth is a priority for your business in the next 12 months, it's an investment that will pay for itself many times over.