The card allows the public to perform identity verification using face recognition technology. The program is expected to be launched across China next month. This electronic identity card will function like a traditional identity card issued by the state.
Verified
users will be able to do all things that require identity cards, such as
renting rooms in hotels and using government services, by simply
scanning their faces using a mobile phone. Their identity will then be authenticated using an artificial intelligence system.
WeChat is a social messaging platform like WhatsApp. It has 980 million registered users of the majority of Chinese society, which has a population of 1.4 billion people.
The
application is owned by Chinese giant Tencent, the first Asian
technology company to have valuations of more than $ 500 billion last
month.
Tencent's decision to create
identity cards based on WeChat is part of their efforts to improve
relations with the government, after they were investigated in August on
allegations of illegal content.