Microsoft will also put new controls on its face recognition feature, which can be used to perform identity checks or search for a particular person. Uber, for example, uses the software in its app to verify that a driver's face matches the ID on file for that driver's account. Software developers who want to use Microsoft's facial recognition tool will need to apply for access and explain how they plan to deploy it. Users will also be required to apply and explain how they will use other potentially abusive A.I. systems, such as Custom Neural Voice. The service can generate a human voice print, based on a sample of someone's speech, so that authors, for example, can create synthetic versions of their voice to read their audiobooks in languages they don't speak.

"We're taking concrete steps to live up to our A.I. principles," said Natasha Crampton, Microsoft's chief responsible AI officer. For years, activists and academics have been raising concerns that facial analysis software that claims to be able to identify a person's age, gender and emotional state can be biased, unreliable or invasive -- and shouldn't be sold. Acknowledging some of those criticisms, Microsoft said on Tuesday that it planned to remove those features from its artificial intelligence service for detecting, analyzing and recognizing faces. They will stop being available to new users this week, and will be phased out for existing users within the year. The changes are part of a push by Microsoft for tighter controls of its artificial intelligence products.