Identity control, access authorization to services, disease detection… Facial recognition opens the field of possibilities in the professional environment. While its advantages are numerous, the technology raises various questions, especially concerning the protection of personal data.
What is facial recognition?
Facial recognition is an artificial intelligence technology (AI) offering the possibility to analyze, thanks to algorithms, the facial features of people and to compare them to images stored in a database. From a digital image or a live video stream, it is therefore possible :
- To authenticate an individual, in other words to verify that it is indeed who he claims to be;
- To identify a person, i.e. to find a person within a group.
The biometric facial recognition system should not be confused with face detection, which determines the presence, or not, of a face in an image without looking at its identity.
Facial recognition pros:
Facial recognition has a number of advantages, starting with a increased security. The trivialization of cyber attacks is proof of this: traditional digital identification techniques, such as passwords, have their limits in protecting sensitive information. As explained earlier, facial recognition secures connections by allowing authentication/identification of a person. On a national level, artificial intelligence technology can even help identify terrorists or other criminals.
Aside from that, the data processing is very fast This is a real advantage for companies. Another advantage, and not the least, is its reliability. It is indeed difficult to fool the technology. A facial recognition device is also easy to use and can be easily integrated into an organization since most solutions are compatible with current security software.
But also cons…
However, there are risks, in particular the risks of infringement of individual liberties (threats to privacy, freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration, etc.). Moreover, in countries where personal freedoms are limited (China, North Korea, Iran…), it is customary to use facial recognition to spy on citizens and make arrests, something which, fortunately, is not tolerated in USA and Canada.
Facial recognition also offers opportunities for fraud and other crimes in case of hacking. In addition, the risk of errors, although minimal, remains possible due to possible flaws in the technology, camera angles, lighting levels or image quality. However, it is likely that facial recognition will continue to develop in the years to come. As the technology improves, the challenges will become more limited.