AI-driven program uses selfies to verify IDs
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Onfido matches a government-issued ID with a selfie to confirm an individual’s identity
Spotted: UK-based startup Onfido has created an AI-powered ID verification service that uses selfies to confirm people’s ID. The programme can be used by consumers or by businesses looking to verify the ID of users or recruits. The company says its program can help cut down on fraud too.
The startup was created by three Oxford grads, who realised most ID checks were done manually. That made the process slow and prone to human error. The Onfido system is simple. You scan a government-issued ID and take a selfie. Onfido prompts you for a couple signs-of-life gestures (think blinking or smiling). The AI program then checks the likelihood you are who you claim to be. The company says the AI program can perform background checks in seconds.
Onfido is already used by over 1500 businesses as a way to verify users’ and recruits’ identify. Clients include Revolut, Zipcar and Bitstamp.