Microsoft seeks to restrict abuse of its AI-based facial recognition tech

Despite steaming ahead with the self-imposed rules, the company said industrywide regulation is necessary

Microsoft Corp. is planning to implement self-designed ethical principles for its facial recognition technology by the end of March, as it urges governments to push ahead with matching regulation in the field.

The company in December called for new legislation to govern artificial intelligence software for recognizing faces, advocating for human review and oversight of the technology in some critical cases, as a way to mitigate the risks of biased outcomes, intrusions into privacy and democratic freedoms.

“We do need to lead by example and we’re working to do that,” Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said in an interview,