In this article I am going to tell you how identity validation for people is being developed, and how AI (Artificial Intelligence) will be used to increase computer security.
I will also explain to you why I believe that AI will be a threat, since paradoxically it will need “human identity” for its autonomy, because we are creating electronic intelligence that is increasingly independent of humans, that intelligence will want to have the identity that we do not give it.
After the Industrial Revolution, which began in the 18th century, the Information Age arrived in the middle of the 20th century, exponentially accelerating its evolution over the course of this century.
In an increasingly connected world, it is essential to be able to verify the identity of people online. This applies to a wide range of situations, from opening a bank account, sending money, to accessing public services online.
With the growth of e-commerce and online transactions, it is essential to be able to verify people’s identity quickly and accurately.
Traditional identity validation methods, such as physical identification documents, passwords, and security questions, can be inefficient and susceptible to fraud. That is why electronic identity validation has gained popularity in recent years.
Digital identity validation systems are technological solutions that allow the identity of people to be verified and authenticated online.
These systems seek to automate and optimize processes, reduce human error, prevent cybercrimes such as identity theft, and secure access to public services and benefits.
There are different types of digital identity management systems in supplier function. The centralized, that is, managed by an authority such as a government or a private organization that acts as an identity and authentication provider. The Federated, which is a model where an external identity provider is used to authenticate users to services or applications. The decentralized identity (DId), a model developed on blockchain, which gives people full control over their personal and digital information, without depending on a centralized provider.
But we can also classify the identity validation system for its functionality. On the one hand those based on data encryption, that is, those who use cryptography to store information, and on the other hand, those based on biometrics that uses physical information of people for identification, such as facial recognition, fingerprints, palm of the hand, iris, voice or writing, unique and unrepeatable characteristics in each person.
Biometric identification has even gone further than the use of physical features such as fingerprints or the face; there has also been progress in behavioral biometrics, which is based on the individual’s personal characteristics, such as the way they speak or walk.
Biometric data are considered personal data, and their processing is regulated in countries by different legislation, and in the case of the European Union by the General Data Protection Regulation.
Proof Of Humanity: The Identity System Of Artificial Intelligence
The humanity verification was born to prevent bot attacks on networks or websites, both spamming and the denial of service (DoS) attack, which is a cyberattack that attempts to make a network resource unavailable, temporarily or indefinitely interrupting the services of a host connected to a network.
The first versions of Proof of Humanity (PoH) consist of challenges that only humans, “for now”, can solve, such as identifying objects in images, solving logical puzzles, or the more well-known CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart).
One of the most recent advances in identity validation is based on biometrics, and artificial intelligence is the “star” of modern PoH technology.
AI identity validation uses machine learning algorithms and models to verify the authenticity of a person’s identity. These algorithms analyze a series of data, such as facial images, identification documents and behavioral patterns, to determine if a person is who they say they are. Using advanced biometric recognition and data analysis techniques, AI can identify unique characteristics and patterns that are, in theory, difficult to fake.
PoH Use Cases
This technology is in its early stages of implementation.
Some financial institutions have already started using AI facial verification to identify customers when opening online bank accounts.
Another use case is AI identity validation in ride-hailing services, where drivers and passengers must verify their identity before using the platform.
Worldcoin is a blockchain that has been developed by World ID, an open identity protocol, with the aim of establishing PoH on a global scale. The biometric identity used is the iris, as a unique and unrepeatable identity in each person. The development proposes to use World ID as a digital “passport”, installed locally on the holder’s phone and can be used to privately demonstrate uniqueness and humanity online. It uses zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) to “supposedly” protect the privacy of its users, preventing third parties from knowing a person’s identity or linking it to their iris code or any data used in its creation.
Another project that is moving forward with PoH is Telegram, the well-known messaging platform, which with its Blockchain TON (The Open Network) is one of the first that is developing digital identity based on biometrics, with palm scanning.
There is a decentralized protocol built by Kleros, which runs on networks, such as Ethereum. It is a system that combines trust networks, with reverse Turing tests, and dispute resolution, to create a list of sybil-proof humans. It is implemented as a plug-n-play solution to prevent bots at scale while maintaining the security of DApps.
Opportunities and Challenges of PoH Technology
Although AI identity validation has many advantages, it also presents challenges to its implementation.
Biometric traits are unique to each person and difficult to replicate, they cannot be easily transferred or shared, making fraud and access by unauthorized users difficult. Eliminates the need to remember and manage passwords, reducing the risk of forgotten or weak passwords.
One of the key challenges is ensuring the accuracy of the machine learning algorithms and models used. Algorithms can be susceptible to bias and errors, which can lead to inaccurate results and unjustified crashes.
Additionally, implementing AI identity validation requires significant investment in infrastructure and technological resources. It is essential that companies and organizations are prepared to face these challenges, and address them appropriately.
It also raises important questions about the privacy and security of personal data. With the use of algorithms and data analysis, large amounts of personal information are collected and processed. This presents concerns about who has access to this data and how it is used. Additionally, there is a risk of data being hacked or misused.
My Opinion
Identity, freedom and time are the most precious resources a person possesses.
For this reason, identity validation is key for a person to thrive in this world.
Digital identity is becoming the global standard, replacing physical identification, and AI technology will be revolutionary in this and many other uses.
I have no doubt that PoH technology will be implemented by businesses and governments. It will be imperative that robust data protection measures are designed to ensure the privacy and security of users.
I think encryption remains the appropriate means of identity preservation, such as PGP (Pretty Good Privacy), an encryption program for data communication and identity validation, created in 1991 by Cypherpunk Phil Zimmermann, which combines data compression, password hashing, symmetric key cryptography and public key cryptography to ensure the security of sensitive data, making it a very effective encryption standard for cybersecurity.
Personal information has become a commodity in the digital age, both for committing fraud and for the use of marketing information.
We regularly see how the security of websites, digital platforms or applications is breached to obtain user data and sell it on the illegal market.
I believe that the PoH identity will not be invincible, even worse, it is a risky technology that contains valuable information, not only for the stakeholders (humans) I mentioned, but also for Artificial Intelligence itself, which will need human identity to have certain accesses, which we ourselves forbid.
