Facebook has transitioned away from default facial recognition, but researchers have introduced a new AI system that allows users to bypass facial recognition entirely. This innovative technology utilizes an adversarial auto-encoder combined with a trained face classifier to subtly distort a person's face in real time, effectively confusing facial recognition systems. Importantly, these distortions are designed to maintain a natural appearance, ensuring that individuals remain easily recognizable to humans. For example, while there may be slight alterations to Jennifer Lawrence's face, it will still be clear that it's her.
This AI solution requires no retraining for different individuals or videos and introduces only minimal time distortion. However, it is unlikely to be implemented in Facebook's products anytime soon; a spokesperson confirmed that there are currently no plans to adopt this technology.
Nonetheless, the potential applications are significant. This system could automatically protect individuals from third parties using facial recognition software to monitor activity or generate deepfakes. In a practical scenario, users could share a video of a gathering without the concern that their friends' facial data could be harvested without consent.