Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. It’s impossible to ignore, or escape from, even if you wanted to. And in the world of R&D tax preparation, there’s growing pressure to get onboard.
Some firms are already “all in,” while others are still dipping a toe.
At WhisperClaims, we take a measured, thoughtful approach to our software. Our focus is always, and always has been, on supporting accountants and advisers to deliver robust, high-quality R&D claims in a way that’s scalable, structured, and backed by Advice Line support from our team.
Late last year, we conducted some customer research, listening carefully to our users about their views and experience of AI in general in their firms. The feedback they gave us was direct, but mixed:
So, we set out to bring a sense of balance to our software, ensuring our customers can stay up to date and efficient, whilst still retaining control.
Our first +AI feature is designed to support our users in what many find the trickiest part of the part of the claim preparation process – the project narrative.
This feature doesn’t write the narrative, but reviews what you’ve written and offers helpful suggestions – whether that’s highlighting missing detail, flagging inconsistencies, or suggesting improvements to tone, structure and grammar. It sits firmly alongside our existing in-app risk tools and support services.
AI in tax tech is no longer revolutionary. If anything, software that isn’t AI-powered feels more conversation-worthy, given the sheer number of tools now available.
We didn’t want to implement AI just because we could. We didn’t want to risk undermining the rigour of process or the trust our customers place in us. The potential for mistakes is undeniably huge, and the stakes are high.
We wanted to be confident that any AI we introduced would enhance the structured, adviser-led process that underpins our software, not cut corners, or introduce new risks. Anyone who has used AI knows that there’s always a risk of hallucinations or erroneous information popping up, no matter how hard you work to make it robust.
We learned through our focus groups that some customers already assumed our platform used AI, because it feels so intuitive. That was a compliment, of course, but also a challenge: How could we take this next step without compromising on trust?
The answer was a carefully chosen integration partner.
We’ve been working with our new partner, SmartClaim, an AI tool purpose-built for R&D tax advisory. Supporting a range of R&D advisory firms, SmartClaim augments adviser expertise, making R&D technical work smarter, more efficient, and more rewarding.
For new users joining the platform, +AI is part of the onboarding experience, but entirely optional.
We continue to offer unlimited Advice Line support, expert claim reviews, and in-app guidance because R&D tax is complex, and for now at least, no AI can replace your knowledge, judgement, or experience. But, if a well-placed suggestion helps you prepare a stronger claim, more efficiently? That’s something we’re proud to offer.
We’re hosting a live fireside chat Wednesday 10th September with SmartClaim to talk about AI in R&D tax:
When: Wednesday 10th September 2025 | 12 noon
Speakers: Jen Badger (WhisperClaims), Shilin Chen (SmartClaim)
If you’re curious about AI but still on the fence, it’s a great chance to hear how others are approaching it.
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