Facial recognition in China is big business as local governments boost surveillance

SenseTime, China's largest artificial intelligence company, has facial recognition products now being used by a growing number of local governments across China.

Surveillance is a big reason, and the segment makes up a third of SenseTime's business, according to an NPR report. Beyond government uses, SenseTime's clients include private security firms – it supplies the core technology to seven of China's 10 largest security firms — plus financial services companies, banks, mobile operators and the smartphone industry.

Founded in 2014, the tech company now has a valuation of more than $3 billion.

Read more from NPR.