Beyond its ability to improve facial recognition for home security (discussed in Part 1), artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied in several other areas.

TSA
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) uses two types of Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) to verify the identity of travelers. First generation CAT units scan a traveler’s photo identification (ID) and confirm the traveler’s identity as well as their flight details. The newer, second-generation CAT units, or CAT-2, have the same capabilities, but are also equipped with a camera to capture a real-time photo of the traveler.

The CAT-2 system compares the traveler’s photo on the ID credential against the in-person, real-time photo. With a confirmed CAT-2 match, the TSA officer will verify and allow the traveler to proceed to security screening, without requiring a boarding pass. The use of AI-based cameras or the increasing use of AI-based cameras will expedite and improve this process.

For privacy reasons, photos captured by CAT units are never stored or used for any other purpose than immediate identity verification. Also, travelers who do not wish to participate in the facial matching process can opt out in favor of an alternative identity verification process.

The CAT-2 units may have readers that allow travelers to use valid, state-issued digital driver licenses or digital identification cards for TSA identity verification purposes.

Law enforcement
Thanks to the use of facial recognition in movies and on TV, law enforcement is probably the most well-known application of facial recognition technology. The increasing use of AI-equipped cameras and AI to scan databases will only improve response time both during an ongoing event and afterwards in the investigation phase.  Promoting a well-executed identification capability can also provide a deterrent to would be thieves, robber, terrorists, and other bad actors who now face a much greater chance of getting caught and facing the consequences of their actions.

Business usage of AI
Face attendance, recognizing repeat visitors, identifying, and locating people in a variety of business situations is increasingly important to AI-equipped cameras/networks.

Unlike the punch clock where someone else can punch you in one day and then you return the favor on another day, face recognition-based employee attendance systems are essentially fool-proof. With the Internet, the time and location are also verified removing any chances of time theft by employees. An additional benefit of quick AI-based analysis is verifying, and possibly recording, the presence of unauthorized personnel in the work area.

Similarly, many building owners are installing AI-equipped facial recognition cameras at entry and exit points to monitor for safety and security.  Designed to synchronize with existing technology, these and other facial detection cameras distributed throughout the building can provide a high success rate to building owners’ security plan.

In retail business situations, AI-equipped cameras can be used to ID the bad guys and also the good guys.  Identifying the bad guys is obviously important. The good guys are the targeted customers that could be return customers or deserve special attention. With face recognition cameras, quickly and easily identifying, searching, detecting, and locating VIP guests in a variety of business environments can lead to promptly addressing their needs, and more.

School campuses
School building(s) and, in fact, the entire school campus are areas that can benefit from accurately and quickly identify intruders, especially armed intruders, before any tragedy occurs. While a single, clear image of an unauthorized presence in the school area could be sufficient to provide a warning to school security and local police, multiple camera feeds from different areas on campus can allow these authorities to locate the suspect and trace their movements within seconds and respond accordingly. With the right cameras, AI can provide rapid response time to avoid or minimize problems.  Playgrounds have been a frequently used target of kidnappers, so they could also be a good place to install similar AI-equipped cameras.

References
TSA Expands the Use of New Facial Recognition Tech (innotechtoday.com)
TSA introduces state-of-the art identity verification technology at DEN security checkpoints | Transportation Security Administration
Feature image credit: Evolv Technology, AI at airports: how is artificial intelligence speeding up security? (airport-technology.com)
Upgrading Surveillance Tech to True Facial Recognition Cameras (surveillance-video.com)
Artificial Intelligence Face Recognition – GW Security (gwsecurityusa.com)