Microsoft is retiring a controversial facial recognition feature that claims to identify emotion in people's faces from videos and photos. As part of an overhaul its AI policies, the US tech giant is removing facial analysis capabilities that infer emotional states, like surprise and anger, from Azure Face. It's also retiring the ability of the technology platform to identify attributes such as gender, age, smile, hair and makeup. Microsoft's Azure Face is a service for developers that uses AI algorithms to detect, recognise, and analyse human faces in digital images. It is used in scenarios such as identity verification, touchless access control and face blurring for privacy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) may soon know more about you than you think. A startup called Hume AI claims to use algorithms to measure emotions from facial, vocal, and verbal expressions. It's one of a growing number of companies that purport to read human emotions using computers. But some experts say that the concept raises privacy issues. "Whoever controls these systems and platforms are going to have a lot of information on individuals," Bob Bilbruck, a tech startup advisor, told Lifewire in an email interview.

In its annual report, the AI Now Institute, an interdisciplinary research center studying the societal implications of artificial intelligence, called for a ban on technology designed to recognize people's emotions in certain cases. Specifically, the researchers said affect recognition technology, also called emotion recognition technology, should not be used in decisions that "impact people's lives and access to opportunities," such as hiring decisions or pain assessments, because it is not sufficiently accurate and can lead to biased decisions. What is this technology, which is already being used and marketed, and why is it raising concerns? Researchers have been actively working on computer vision algorithms that can determine the emotions and intent of humans, along with making other inferences, for at least a decade. Facial expression analysis has been around since at least 2003 .

Nine-year-old Alex Cullenbine was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at six years old - but his mum, Donji, said she knew from 18 months that something was different. He avoided making eye contact, was slow to develop speech and was overly sensitive to sounds. Since his diagnosis, he had received behavioural therapy one or two times a week but he remained gaze avoidant. However, a few weeks after he started taking part in a small trial funded by the US government, at Stanford University, Donji noticed a difference in her son. "He was starting to flick glances to my eyes and then dart his gaze away. At first it happened a few times a day, which was absolutely stunning. I remember catching my breath and almost doing a mental double-take. "It gradually progressed to a handful of times per day, particularly when he wanted me to listen to him with my full undivided attention." People with autism can struggle to maintain eye contact and recognise emotions - and the scheme Alex had taken part in had been teaching him how to recognise emotions using Google glasses and an app. The glasses had a camera to record his field of view as well as a small screen and speaker to give him visual and audio information. As he interacted with other people, the app identified their emotions and told him via the glasses. He also used it as a game where he would have to guess the facial expression being shown by his mum or other adults. He used the system three times a week for six weeks and Donji says it "transformed" how Alex felt about looking at faces. "The glasses made a game of looking and gave him a key to decoding what he was seeing.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Dolby Laboratories chief scientist Poppy Crum tells of a fast-coming time when technology will see right through people no matter how hard they try to hide their feelings.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Dolby Laboratories chief scientist Poppy Crum tells of a fast-coming time when technology will see right through people no matter how hard they try to hide their feelings. Sensors combined with artificial intelligence can reveal whether someone is lying, infatuated or poised for violence, Crum detailed at a big ideas TED Conference. "It is the end of the poker face," Crum said. We will know more about each other than we ever have." Eye dilation reveals how hard a brain is working, and heat radiating from the skin signals whether we are stressed or even romantically piqued. The amount of carbon dioxide exhaled can signal how riled up someone, or a crowd, is getting. Microexpressions and chemicals in breath reveal feelings. The timing of someone's speech can expose whether they are at risk of dementia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis or bipolar disorder, according to the neuroscientist. Brain waves can indicate whether someone's attention is elsewhere in a room, regardless of the fact their gaze is locked on the person in front of them. Technology exists to read such cues and, combined with artificial intelligence that can analyze patterns and factor in context, can magnify empathy if used for good or lead to abuses if used to oppress or manipulate, said Crum. "It is really scary on one level, but on another level it is really powerful," Crum said. "We can bridge the emotional divide." She gave examples of a high school counselor being able to tell whether a seemingly cheery student is having a hard time, or police quickly knowing if someone acting bizarrely has a health condition or is criminally violent. One could skip scanning profiles on dating apps and, instead, scan people for genuine interest. Artists would be able to see the emotional reactions people have to their creations. "I realize a lot of people are having a hard time with people sharing our data, or knowing something we didn't want to share," Crum said. "I am not looking to create a world where our inner lives are ripped open, but I am looking to create a world where we can care about each other more effectively." With emotion-reading rooms, smart speakers or accessories on their way, Crum is keen to see rules in place to make sure benefits are equally available to all while malicious uses are prevented. "It is something people need to realize is here and is going to happen; so let's make it happen in a way we have control over," Crum said. "We will be able to know more about each other than we ever have.

An unfortunate fact about humanity is that people lie. While this is a chronic issue for human relations, it's one that may be less of an issue for marketers of the future, thanks to non-human intervention. For most of marketing history, the best way to find out if consumers liked a proposed product was to ask them what they thought about it. But in focus groups especially, people tend to stretch the truth, undermining the value of the entire study. In recent years, AI has offered a huge boost to neuromarketing -- the science of reading consumers' minds to gauge their reactions to marketing stimuli.

Personality tests at work today mainly consist of surveys. They're popular because one can run many in a short time. However, their end is near. Computers can now read emotions. Linking these to personality types is only a matter of demand.

An unfortunate fact about humanity is that people lie. While this is a chronic issue for human relations, it's one that may be less of an issue for marketers of the future, thanks to non-human intervention. For most of marketing history, the best way to find out if consumers liked a proposed product was to ask them what they thought about it. But in focus groups especially, people tend to stretch the truth, undermining the value of the entire study. In recent years, AI has offered a huge boost to neuromarketing -- the science of reading consumers' minds to gauge their reactions to marketing stimuli.

An unfortunate fact about humanity is that people lie. While this is a chronic issue for human relations, it's one that may be less of an issue for marketers of the future, thanks to non-human intervention. For most of marketing history, the best way to find out if consumers liked a proposed product was to ask them what they thought about it. But in focus groups especially, people tend to stretch the truth, undermining the value of the entire study. In recent years, AI has offered a huge boost to neuromarketing -- the science of reading consumers' minds to gauge their reactions to marketing stimuli. Here are three of the key technologies helping neuromarketers provide more effective marketing campaigns through AI integration.