South Korean company LG has combined artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and cloud to create a facial recognition technology for smart payments in shops and restaurants.

In a trial at a restaurant in the company’s headquarters, the service automatically checks the identity of employees with AI facial recognition technology and then automatically uses pre-registered blockchain-based community currency. All systems operate in the cloud.

Employees who have agreed to use face and account information in advance will automatically pay by recognising only the face on a device installed in the restaurant.

Tagging a smart card or downloading a mobile application and then using a QR code can make it easier to use a blockchain-based service than using an existing community currency.

In particular, by eliminating unnecessary contact between machines and people at the time of payment, the likelihood of a virus infection such as the recent Covid-19 is reduced.

LG CNS has been piloting the service since March at the catering corner at the basement restaurant in its headquarters. Whenever there is a new technology idea based on AI, cloud, blockchain and big data, the company first tests it in a small unit.

In January, AI-based face recognition access was applied to one gate in the head office, and has been expanded to all gates since February. Due to Covid-19, only the wearer of the mask opens the gate, which automatically measures body temperature when entering or exiting.

Prior to this, LG CNS introduced and operates its own blockchain service platform in its in-house restaurants and cafés since August last year.

On the third floor of the head office, AI-based access control is being conducted, and an unmanned convenience store that recognises products and enables payment without a clerk is also being piloted.

“As blockchain-based community currency meets AI, it is expected to be used by a lot more people,” said Lee Jun-won, director of LG CNS business development. “The state will use blockchain more widely.”