From Apple Pay to Face Pay: How racial bias may leave Pasifika and Māori behind

A forgotten wallet at the supermarket could be a problem of the past thanks to new facial recognition technology being trialed.

But experts warn that ensuring the technology caters for Pacific peoples and Māori communities will be a major factor to whether it works in New Zealand.

Facial recognition payment technology (FRPT), which uses biometric data, specifically facial features, to complete in-store purchases and could be implemented in New Zealand.

China is already ahead of the curve, where an Auckland University associate professor estimates one-third of the country uses FRPT.

Auckland University alongside Queensland University of Technology released a study that looked into the pros, cons, and other factors that could make or break FRPT's implementation success.

However, the issue that other systems have had with AI facial recognition technology perpetuating racial bias against Māori and Pacific peoples is one concern to be considered.

Speaking to William Terite on Pacific Mornings, co-author and associate professor Laszlo Sajtos said racial bias in AI needs to be sorted before considering FRPT as a primary payment method.

He said for some ethnic groups facial recognition does not work accurately, and that a lot of companies have different accuracy rates which are dependent on the developer.

"Until that is sorted out there's always going to be resistance towards this type of payment.

"This is the flip side of it that until all these teething issues are sorted out the merchants are going to want alternatives in place."

Watch the full interview via 531pi's FB below:

The challenges of FRPT implementation
The study also suggests the implementation of FRPT faces significant challenges, especially as its success hinges on people's willingness to embrace it.

Among the 20 in-depth interviews in the study, embarrassment was a factor of apprehension towards FRPT where the system could struggle to recognise a person which could deter them from wanting to participate next time.

As a solution, the study suggests retailers provide support services, such as on-site staff who can assist with issues during the initial rollout.

"There are some very mild concerns like 'what is the difference between using this and using your tap and go?'" Sajtos said.

"We went from the chip-based system to the tapping system. There are many easy methods from which you can pay, this is even easier but can people perceive the difference?

"Some people … are already satisfied with what they have. So, getting customers to trail [FRPT] is one of the obstacles."

Gen Alpha may grow up to call this photo “the olden days”. Photo /Unsplash

Dude, where's my facial data?
There are also concerns regarding privacy and security considerations, according to Queensland University of Technology's Dr Shasa Wang.

"Some people think they are okay with this technology because they have used facial recognition to unlock their phone or that their face is already on the internet," Wang said.

"But when it comes to payments, this is totally different; this is connected to your financial information."

She said banks and retailers containing customers' facial data in their system have some concerns, especially among deepfakes and other scams.

Deepfakes and AI voice cloning have been used in phishing scams recently, in which elderly people are prime targets due to their general lack of tech-savviness.

This ties into the study's finding that brand awareness and trust are important to participants, as Sajtos said, people are more likely to try FRPT if they trust the retailer or bank associated with it.

"This could be a significant hurdle for smaller, less-known businesses."

Wang suggested retailers focus on loyal consumers and communicate the latest anti-scam research, privacy policies they have implemented, and the reputable FRPT developers or platforms they use.

This concern over scams and elderly apprehension towards new technology is also prevalent in the Pacific community, to which Sajtos said many benefits of FRPT should be considered.

He said facial digital ID could help people access public services better, whether checking out a book at a library or getting on a bus, to payment automation in general.

However, he acknowledged potential "scary situations" such as identity theft, whether it's a case of NZ surveillance gone wrong or if a person's children cheekily use their parents' photo for a purchase.

"I do think there are a lot of benefits which we're not emphasising in this study or in general.

"There are lots of benefits that we're not talking about at the moment, and if you're just focusing on the payment itself I think that's a really narrow view."