Universal Studios in China to Use Facial Recognition
If you happen to be around Beijing, China you might be pretty excited about the new Universal Studios theme park that will be opening. Along with all the rides and attractions, it will also feature a whole new way of getting into the park.
The theme park will be using facial recognition for admissions, payments and even for getting on rides. Universal is teaming with Alibaba to implement the new technology.
Smart cameras will scan the guest’s faces as they enter the park to determine if they have paid admission. The system will be linked to the digital payment platform Alibaba’s Alipay. The technology will also allow visitors to pay for meals, buy merchandise, join express queues, and open lockers.
“There is no more seamless way to enjoy what we’re building than using the Alibaba technology,” said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, according to AFP.
Visitors Can Opt Out of Universal Studios Facial Recognition
Some people may be a bit concerned that this could be an invasion of their privacy. According to Universal, if visitors do not wish to have their faces scanned there will be other ways to enter the park and pay for food and merchandise.
Universal Studios Beijing will feature themed lands based on the Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Kung Fu Panda, Despicable Me, and WaterWorld film franchises.
The park, which will be located in the Tongzhou suburban district, will be opening in 2021. It will be part of a larger resort, which will include three hotels. No word on when or if Universal Studios will be expanding the facial recognition to other parks around the globe.
Check out our articles on Tokyo 2020’s robots and using facial recognition to monitor toilet paper usage.