Ticketmaster to trial facial recognition technology at live venues

Ticketmaster has quietly revealed plans to use facial recognition technology in venues to facilitate admission to live shows and more. The rollout constitutes part of a trial that follows the ticketing giant's investment in Blink Identity, an Austin, Texas-based startup that participated in the TechStars music accelerator program earlier this year. Ticketmaster's plans were revealed as part of parent company Live Nation's Q1 2018 earnings: We will continue investing in new technologies to further differentiate Ticketmaster from others in the ticketing business. It is very notable that today we announce our partnership with, and investment in, Blink Identity, which has cutting-edge facial recognition technology, enabling you to associate your digital ticket with your image, then just walk into the show. Blink Identity's platform basically allows a venue to identify people using their facial biometrics without requiring them to stop and stand in front of a lens.