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Man mistaken for his co-workers illustrates the flaws of facial recognition
Facial recognition systems are common in China, but one man with a 'common face' couldn’t clock into work
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
We’re used to hearing about the advances in AI facial recognition in China. The technology, for instance, has helped police arrest three fugitives in just two months, all during concerts by Canto-pop star Jacky Cheung. However, we’re less used to hearing about facial recognition fails.
Last week, a man known as Mr. Wang tried to use his company’s facial recognition system to punch in for work. In recent years, biometric punch-in systems for offices have become ubiquitous along with other facial recognition applications such as payments, game limits for minors and even subway rides.
Unfortunately for Wang, the system not only failed to recognize him, but it also mistook his face for everyone else’s. In the video, the system repeatedly matches his face to those of his colleagues, both male and female.
His amusing encounter with the machine -- likely the result of a malfunction -- instantly became a joke on social media. Is it possible that Wang has one of those faces that looks way too common?
Online users also took the opportunity to ridicule their own companies’ systems. It appears facial recognition systems at work aren’t so popular.
“In our department, the male colleagues can scan their faces in place of the female ones, you tell me if it’s working,” said one commenter.
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