Trust is the new currency
The Biometrics Institute unveiled its much-anticipated sixth State of Biometrics Report at its annual Congress today. This year’s report dives deep into emerging trends, challenges, and predictions shaping biometric technology and calls out important considerations to be better prepared for the future. With a strong focus on responsible use, and the need to put people first to build public trust in biometrics across six themes.
To build trust in biometrics, we must focus on the Three Laws of Biometrics – prioritise people and be transparent and accountable in policy, process, and technology implementation. Artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced new complexities to this equation. While AI continues to be the flavour of the year, the report underscores the ambiguity surrounding its capabilities and terminology. Not everything labelled AI is AI per se, and not all AI systems are created equal. To address this, the Biometrics Institute has debated an AI discussion paper with its members over the past six months that outlines the relationship between AI and biometrics, aiming to clarify how they relate to each other.
Isabelle Moeller, CEO of the Biometrics Institute, emphasises the importance of responsible biometrics adoption and that lessons have been learnt from using biometrics that can be transferred to AI, especially where AI interlinks with biometrics. “While AI and biometrics can both enable and detect fraud, the challenge lies in distinguishing between AI threats that could harm people’s lives and AI tools that can improve them. This highlights the need for regulations that adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology.”
Facing up to biometric technology
The report acknowledges that currently the dominant modality remains facial biometrics, as indicated in the Institute’s 2024 Industry Survey. However, biometric use cases for identification, which are based on a very mature methodology for testing, measuring, and managing accuracy, should be clearly distinguished from newer use cases intended for other kinds of analysis and classification.
Don’t always trust emotions
The report cautions against relying on emotion detection to assess personality or beliefs. Building trust in technologies requires a thorough understanding of related limitations, particularly where this is a risk of causing negative outcomes or applying bias in decisions. The EU AI Act prohibits the use of emotion detection for certain high-risk applications. For example, the Act restricts the use of emotion detection due to the potential for significant consequences for individuals.
Innovation and privacy, it’s a balancing act
The fourth theme emphasises the need to balance technology innovation with privacy rights. Increased data collection for convenience and customer tracking, coupled with cyber threats, surveillance, and AI use, necessitates stronger privacy frameworks. The report advocates for a holistic approach that incorporates the Three Laws of Biometrics for responsible implementation.
Identity sprawl is a growing challenge
The growing number of online transactions and different digital identities in the online ecosystem poses significant risks, including in relation to data breaches and cyber crime. Our sensitive and personal information is truly out there and out of our control. It is more important than ever for us to question the necessity for collecting and often storing so much data, and to acknowledge the potential consequences of information falling into the wrong hands. Collecting only the minimum necessary personal information is crucial to mitigating these risks, and the time has come for a new paradigm that lets us take control of our own information.
Doing DNA
DNA analysis is becoming increasingly efficient, opening new possibilities for applications such as familial verification, child abduction cases, and identification of human remains. While Rapid DNA offers significant benefits, it also presents challenges and risks. These include the potential for unintended consequences, data management concerns, and ethical and privacy considerations.
“The report is looking to the future, highlighting opportunities and risks that we are likely to face sooner rather than later,” says Paul Cross, Director and Head of the Future Direction Group, Biometrics Institute. “DNA is a topic we have not talked about a lot in recent times even though it has been around for decades for forensic investigations. Now people are disclosing their sensitive personal DNA data to find out about their ancestors, and that bears risks that we need to raise awareness about.”
Biometrics is about people, not technology
The future of biometrics hinges on prioritising people’s privacy and security. And being transparent about the technology, so we all understand who has access to our data, how it is stored, and how it is used. By continuing to build privacy into our solutions and by adopting responsible practices and addressing AI and privacy concerns, we can build a world where biometrics are trusted, beneficial and seamlessly integrated into our daily lives.
The full State of Biometrics Report is available to Institute members. To learn more about the report, follow this link.
ENDS
About the Biometrics Institute
The Biometrics Institute is the independent and impartial international membership organisation for biometric users and other interested parties. It was established in 2001 to promote the responsible, ethical and effective use of biometrics and has offices in London and Sydney.
The member register which represents a global and diverse multi-stakeholder community now lists over 200 membership organisations from 34 countries. It includes banks, airlines, government agencies, biometric experts, privacy experts, suppliers, academics and 10 Observers representing United Nations agencies, IGOs and European Union institutions.
The Biometrics Institute connects the global biometrics community. It shares knowledge with its members and key stakeholders and most importantly, develops good practices and thought leadership for the responsible, ethical and effective use of biometrics.
For more information, please email Marco Lombardi.
