China enters era of facial recognition

World
Europe

Machines are getting smarter, as they now recognize people's faces.

With rapid advancement in China, facial recognition technology has been part of people’s daily lives. One scans his face as a quick way of identity authentication when it comes to payment systems, login systems, security checks, etc.

A woman passenger goes through an auto-checking system at Guangzhou South Railway Station/ CGTN Photo

Guangzhou South Railway Station is the busiest in southwestern China. During the "golden week" National Day holiday from October 1 to October 8, average daily trips at the station reached half a million. But thanks to the facial recognition machines, ticket checking has become a simpler process.

Residents in Guangdong Province can finish applications online for a visa endorsement of travel permit to Hong Kong or Macao/ CGTN Photo

In southern Guangdong province, residents have an electronic edition of their Exit-Entry Permits for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao (港澳通行证). To apply for or renew a visa endorsement of traveling to the two regions, one can finish the process at home with a phone camera for facial recognition.

Guangdong now is the only province in China where such online services are available.

CGTN reporter Luo Yu experiences Intelligent Boarding System at Nanyang airport/ CGTN Photo

Fed up with lining up in front of the strobe and showing a boarding pass to the ground staff? Now, it's not the case anymore at Nanyang airport in central China’s Henan Province, where China's first Intelligent Boarding System was introduced earlier this year.

After taking a photo at security check, passengers can pass through boarding gates by having their faces scanned.

Fang Changwei, Senior Technician at Nanyang airport explains the mechanism of the Intelligent Boarding System/ CGTN Photo

But wait, what if three faces are shown on the screen at a time?

"The machine will identify the biggest face," Fang Changwei, a senior technician at the airport told CGTN.

Longmen Grottoes in central China's Henan Province is the country's first scenic spot using the facial recognition system for entry/ CGTN Photo

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Longmen Grottoes in central China's Henan Province, is the country's first scenic spot using the facial recognition system for entry. Through the grottoes' mini app on WeChat, visitors can buy an electronic ticket and create a pass by taking a head photo.

As artificial intelligence advances, it’s expected that people will see more of this smart services throughout the country.