Supermarket chain BritMart has temporarily suspended its facial-recognition system. Staff are receiving additional training in identifying the person the computer has already identified for them.
The highly advanced software reportedly worked exactly as intended. It flagged the correct individual before a member of staff approached and removed somebody else.
Engineers are now investigating a previously overlooked weakness in the system known as “the bit involving humans.”
BritMart says trained colleagues review all facial-recognition alerts before taking action. This safeguard is increasingly suspected of being where everything starts to go wrong.
Engineers are testing several upgrades. These include a large flashing arrow marked THIS ONE, followed by a second warning reading NO, NOT THE OTHER BLOKE.
A more advanced version will sound an alarm whenever security staff begin confidently walking towards somebody who bears no resemblance whatsoever to the person displayed on screen.
“The technology is extremely accurate,” said a fictional BritMart spokesman.
“We’re now working to bring Darren up to a similar standard.”
Human verification
The company has also issued staff with a two-step reassurance guide. Step one is to look at the screen. Step two is to avoid treating the nearest member of the public as an interchangeable substitute.
If that proves too technical, BritMart may trial colour-coded lanyards. Engineers fear that this merely creates new opportunities to remove a queue of people wearing blue.
A laminated reminder will add: the face is not necessarily the person nearest it.
Future versions may remove staff from the process entirely. Instead, the system will lock the security office door until the correct customer has left.
BritMart expects the technology to return once engineers establish why the artificial intelligence was the most competent person involved.
