Speeding through airport security without any hiccups. It’s the goal for most travelers, and one that the Biden administration is working to safeguard, including for people who are wary of new technology.
Don’t feel comfortable using the facial recognition technology at airports?
No problem.
Vice President Kamala Harris announced new mandates aimed at preventing government abuse of artificial intelligence, with a big emphasis on stopping discrimination.
“When it comes to anything regarding personal data, there is definite worry that that information is being used elsewhere,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com.
Under the requirements, which take effect Dec. 1, travelers should be able to refuse facial recognition scans at airport security without worrying that they’ll be delayed or lose their place in line.
“There is going to be a good portion of people that are breathing a sigh of relief knowing that they don’t have to opt in to anything regarding personal data when it comes to their travel experience,” Nastro said.
Some travelers seem unconcerned and say AI is already the norm.
“We’re already using it for our phones consistently. I mean just about everyone’s doing it,” traveler Dean Knight told CNN.
But there’s evidence that using AI tools like facial recognition can lead to discrimination, something the Biden administration is also working to prevent in government agencies.
“There have been numerous studies that demonstrate that facial recognition is less accurate with the faces of people of color,” said Thomas Germain, a senior reporter with Gizmodo.
The new mandates are designed to cover a range of scenarios from TSA screenings at airports to decisions by other agencies, which affect Americans’ health care, employment and housing.
“I think the real problem here for safety advocates who are concerned about the use of technology is that there are some areas where a lot of experts feel it’s not appropriate to use artificial intelligence at all,” Germain said.