Letters: Facing up to the problem of AI
[Re: UK should forbid facial recognition tech, report says, June 30]
As a business that deploys biometrics to support remote identity verification, we are in full support of Matthew Ryder and the Ada Lovelace Institute’s independent review but with a caveat. Clear legal frameworks offer certainty and consistency for industry and citizens, particularly where security, privacy and user trust are essential.
But when considering how to regulate technologies we must take account of the level of risk associated with different use cases. Live facial recognition by the public sector is just one of many use cases. Such technology can also help us unlock our smartphones or enable us to open a digital bank account remotely.
The regulatory approach needs to be risk-based, proportionate, and not duplicate existing legislation. If we overlook different use cases, it can cause distrust in technology even where it is used for the public good – like in age verification or anti-money laundering checks.
We want to help ensure that the industry is engaging with any further work as a result of the Ryder Review, and to that end, we look forward to working with the Institute and contributing our deep expertise in biometrics on the next planned phase of work in this space.
Matthew Peake