Microsoft announces end to facial recognition technology

Microsoft announces end to facial recognition technology

San Francisco, 6/22/2022

Microsoft says it will phase out facial recognition technology designed to detect a person’s age, gender, emotional state and other characteristics.

The company acknowledged that the automated technology poses problems, such as a lack of privacy and a tendency to generalize in ways that discriminate. Which, in such cases, denied services to humans.

That is why the following regulation was made: The facial analysis features available in Azure Face API are no longer available to new customers. Current customers can still use the tools until June 30, 2023 – unless they have special permission.

For example, Microsoft could continue to allow integration of the technology into apps for people with disabilities, such as those with low vision, via the Seeing AI app.

In a blog post, Natasha Crampton, chief responsible AI officer at Microsoft, acknowledged the potential for AI programs to „exacerbate societal biases and injustices,“ calling this some of the „most pervasive harms associated with these systems.“

For example, the gender classification tool in Azure Face API is binary, „and that is not consistent with our values,“ she wrote.

The company also released its Responsible AI Framework on Tuesday, outlining its goals for privacy and transparent and responsible AI. Further, it promised greater controls for neural voice and speech-to-text AI.