The researchers found that the the global reaction to the Covid-19 outbreak is strongly linked to the driving force behind contactless solutions, including facial recognition technology. The pandemic created a general need to improve cleanliness and minimize physical touch, spurring a boom in the use of facial recognition in various industries. This trend has seen the rise of facial recognition as a significant factor, especially in authentication and access management applications.

On-premises deployment currently most popular

The on-premises segment is estimated to account for a larger market share during the forecast period. On-premises facial recognition refers to software and hardware systems installed locally within an organisation's facilities, rather than cloud-based services. On-premises deployments allow organisations to retain complete control and security of biometric data and integrate with existing infrastructure like access control and security cameras. Key benefits of on-site deployment include data sovereignty, lower latency responses, the ability to function offline, and avoidance of recurring cloud subscription costs. Its typical use cases include building access, employee time tracking, and loss prevention in retail stores or casinos.

Large enterprises are the biggest adopters

The large enterprises segment is estimated to account for a larger market share during the forecast period. Large enterprises across key sectors like technology, financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing have rapidly adopted facial recognition technology over the last few years. The driving factors include enhanced security, workplace automation, and seamless customer experiences. Its conventional applications include automated employee authentication for facility access control, time-tracking, increased safety/surveillance, and personalised customer engagement. While most large companies acknowledge public concerns surrounding consent, biases, and mass surveillance, pragmatic implementations focused on workplace security, operations optimisation, and customer convenience continue accelerating. With decreasing costs and improving accuracy, enterprise adoption is expected to grow significantly despite increasing regulation.

Asia Pacific to grow at the highest CAGR

During the forecast period, the Asia Pacific region is poised to exhibit the highest CAGR in the facial recognition market. Facial recognition technology has gained significant traction in Asia and has become a focal point for governments, businesses, and various sectors. The Asia Pacific region has witnessed widespread adoption of facial recognition across diverse applications, ranging from security and surveillance to finance, retail, and healthcare. Governments in the area have been actively deploying facial recognition for public safety and law enforcement purposes. The technology is employed in airports, border crossings, and public spaces to enhance security measures and monitor potential threats, driving the adoption of facial recognition technology in the region.

Market players

The major players in the facial recognition market and mentioned in the research include NEC, Microsoft, Thales, AWS, Idemia, Aware, Daon, Megvii, Facephi, Herta Security, Onespan, Q3 Technologies, Neurotechnology, Cognitec Systems, Avonix, Nviso.ai, Facefirst, Clarifai, Iprrov, Oosto, Pangiam, Clearview AI, Corsight AI, Facia, Veridium and Visage Technology.