University of Kentucky Implements AI Facial Authentication for Residence Hall Access
The University of Kentucky (UK) is piloting a new facial authentication technology, named Rock and developed by Alcatraz AI, to provide students with an alternative method for accessing their residence halls. This technology is currently deployed in Kirwan-Blanding Hall and Woodland Glen IV, as well as other campus locations requiring two-factor authentication, such as research labs. According to Dani Jaffe, associate director of strategic and crisis communications, the system scans a student's face to verify their identity before granting entry. Tina D’Agostin, CEO of Alcatraz AI, likens the technology to Apple's Face ID, emphasizing that a student's face acts as a 'digital key.' The system is consent-based, requiring students to enroll before their facial data is used for authentication, with UK managing the enrollment and consent process. D'Agostin clarifies that the technology's primary function is authentication, not surveillance or identification, by converting facial features into a mathematical pro...
