Online Identity Verification in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Balancing Security and Transparency

AI Is Making the Internet’s Bot Problem Worse

As AI becomes increasingly prevalent online, it is creating a more complex bot problem for the internet to deal with. According to Rick Song, CEO of identity verification startup Persona, bots will require another solution in addition to current methods.

In an interview with Forbes, Song explained that companies have been treating identity as a “silver bullet” and there wasn’t a single way to solve all these problems. He believes that AI agents will need to be registered so it’s easier to spot them.

As the world becomes increasingly dependent on online platforms, the threat of bots is becoming a more significant concern for businesses and individuals alike. The use of AI in identity verification could lead to even greater issues down the line, including the potential misuse of sensitive information.

To combat this issue, Song proposes that companies build identity profiles for each person using their hundreds of activities they do online over time. These profiles would be tamper-resistant and reusable, allowing individuals to submit them on any site during the verification process.

The idea is to create a self-sovereign, personally-owned portable identity, which could potentially provide more transparency and control for users.

However, this approach also raises privacy concerns as it requires giving up more personal information. Song acknowledges that “today you’re disclosing more and more about yourself,” but argues that people will still want to use the system despite these obvious trade-offs.

As AI continues to shape the future of online interactions, it is crucial that we develop strategies to effectively identify and block bots.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2025/04/30/ai-is-making-the-internets-bot-problem-worse-this-2-billion-startup-is-on-the-front-lines/