China Uses Artificial Intelligence To Catch Drug Offenders

Shanghai, China’s biggest city and global financial hub, is using facial recognition and artificial intelligence to help catch folks alleged of maltreating pharmaceuticals.

As per the reports of South China Morning Post, Shanghai is testing facial recognition terminals in pharmacies. These terminals will be used to verify an individual’s identity before dispensing controlled substances.

It is to be noted that any individual who wants to purchase a prescription drug comprising psychotropic substances, ephedrine, or tranquilizers will have to go through facial recognition check. Both pharmacists and patients will be examined to avert any scheming.

Along with many other nations, China is also facing a growing trouble with people purchasing legal medicines in huge extents that can be transformed into recreational drugs for vending on the black market. The use of artificial intelligence is a novel, albeit debatable, technique of fighting the issue.

Several other countries, predominantly in the West, are quite cautious of mass facial recognition deployments. For instance, a recent European Union document recommended a limited ban on the application of facial recognition and AI technology in public spaces in order to evaluate the positive and negative effects of artificial intelligence and conceivable risk management procedures.
It is quite difficult to envisage such proposals being deployed in densely populated countries like China without noteworthy uproar but China’s latest execution is at least displaying how the technology can be used to deal with several grave difficulties.

What do you think about the use of facial recognition technology in public places? Do you think it will hamper the privacy of people? Let us know in the comments below!