As biometrics scale in government, NEC puts trusted AI back in the spotlight

Across Asia-Pacific, biometric identity verification is fast becoming a default infrastructure for government services.
 

The technology is moving than most procurement frameworks can keep pace with, which makes the vendors building it and the principles guiding them ever more important.
 

In April, NEC Corporation was awarded Frost & Sullivan's Global Biometric Solutions Company of the Year, making it the first company in the biometrics sector to do so.

Frost & Sullivan hands out its Best Practices Awards annually, assessing companies against two criteria, namely visionary innovation and performance, as well as customer impact, through what it describes as a rigorous, independent analytical process.

For NEC, the recognition highlights not only advancements in biometric technologies such as multimodal authentication and decentralised identity, but also the company's broader emphasis on responsible deployment and long-term customer outcomes.
 

The firm's security industry analyst, Tara Semon, credited NEC with what she called "a rare blend of technical excellence, ethical leadership, and customer-centric innovation.”

NEC was also commended by the firm for the versatility and impact of its technologies across various sectors like public safety, education, and consumer experiences. 

The line NEC draws to its own governance framework
 

NEC stated that the company remains committed to its NEC Group AI and Human Rights Principles set out in 2019 in how it uses artificial intelligence (AI) and biometric data among other data.
 

NEC described the principles that strengthen the company's respect for privacy and human rights in its use of AI and biometrics data, building them around a concept it calls "Human Rights by Design."

This was developed with input from NEC's technology, sustainability, risk management and marketing divisions, along with external industry experts and non-profit organisations.

For a public agency evaluating a biometrics vendor, this demonstrates what it looks like in practice to implement a governance framework.

 A vendor's governance framework offers insight into how technology decisions are made before a solution ever reaches production.

"At NEC, we are creating what's ahead by combining cutting-edge technology with a deep commitment to human values.

“As digital identity becomes an important part of public services, trust must be built into every stage of deployment. That is how technology can truly empower humanity,” shares Takayuki Inaba, President & CEO, NEC ASEAN.

What this means for the next tender
 

Nevertheless, vendor's governance framework cannot be a substitute for a public agency's own data protection obligations.

The principles provide a starting point for a harder conversation, getting public agencies to ask how their framework shaped deployment decisions, whether it has been tested against real incidents, and if it has been assessed on ethics with the same rigour as accuracy and cost.

As governments “expand the use of digital identity for border management, public safety, and citizen services, evaluating solutions solely on technical performance may no longer be sufficient.

On how public sector buyers can evaluate biometrics solutions beyond the technology itself, Inaba says: "Citizen trust is ultimately what sustains our long-term success.

“Technology performance remains important, but governments are also looking for assurance that solutions are deployed responsibly, governed transparently, and designed with appropriate safeguards from the outset."

While awards recognise a moment, governance frameworks are what get tested over time.