Centre Unveils New Aadhaar App With Face ID Authentication

SUMMARY

IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the that the app, which is still in beta stage, will remove the need for physical cards and photocopies

UIDAI plans to make the app, which is still in beta stage, available for all after incorporating feedback from users and other ecosystem partners

Vaishnaw said that the app will allow users to only share “necessary data”, strengthen privacy, prevent “misuse” of Aadhaar data, and ensure protection against forgery

IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today unveiled a new Aadhaar app, which will enable users to verify their credentials digitally with face authentication.

In a post on X, Vaishnaw said that the app, which is still in beta stage, will remove the need for physical cards and photocopies.

In a statement, the IT ministry said that the “Aadhaar Face Authentication” is clocking over 15 Cr transactions per month.

The ministry added that the new app has so far been released for a “small group of users”. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) plans to make it available for all after incorporating feedback from users and other ecosystem partners.

Touting the features of the app, Vaishnaw said that it will allow users to only share “necessary data”, strengthen privacy, prevent “misuse or leaks” of Aadhaar data, and ensure protection against forgery and editing.

“… It (the new app) will give Aadhaar number holders complete control over their personal information. The app allows digital verification and exchange via a requesting application or by scanning a QR code, eliminating the need for physical photocopies while ensuring privacy,” the IT ministry said in the statement.

Vaishnaw launched the new app at the third Aadhaar Samvaad in New Delhi, which saw more than 750 central and state government officials and industry experts in attendance. The ministry said that the day-long meet was organised to deliberate ways to further enhance service delivery using Aadhaar.

Blending AI With Digital Public Infra

In his inaugural address, Vaishnaw termed AI as the “new industrial revolution”. He called on the attendees to share ideas on integrating AI with digital public infrastructure (DPI) to drive further growth while “preserving” privacy.

The comments come at a time when the government is pushing the pedal on AI adoption and spurring innovation in the emerging sector. Just a day ago, Vaishnaw said that the evaluation of proposals for building indigenous large language models (LLMs) is in the final stages.

He also said that the government will offer funding to the “first set” of selected applicants under the INR 10,037 Cr IndiaAI Mission.

Last week, MeitY additional secretary Abhishek Singh also reportedly said that the Centre plans to finalise the “first set” of proposals for building homegrown foundational AI models in the next two weeks.