Clearview.ai

Clearview AI, founded in 2017 by Hoan Ton-That and Richard Schwartz, specializes in facial recognition technology, primarily used by law enforcement agencies to identify suspects, witnesses, and victims.

Reviewed by 7wData
Share Email

On this page

Profile

Clearview AI provides facial recognition technology to help identify individuals using a vast database of images scraped from the internet.

Clearview AI, founded in 2017 by Hoan Ton-That and Richard Schwartz, specializes in facial recognition technology, primarily used by law enforcement agencies to identify suspects, witnesses, and victims. The company’s database, which reportedly contains over 70 billion images scraped from the public internet, has been both lauded for its accuracy and criticized for privacy violations. Clearview AI’s technology has been adopted by various law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, and has been used in high-stakes scenarios.

However, the company has faced significant legal challenges, including fines from Italy and the Netherlands for GDPR violations, and a settlement with the ACLU that restricts its use of social media data. In 2025, Clearview AI appointed Hal Lambert and Richard Schwartz as co-CEOs, replacing Ton-That, who remains on the board. The company continues to expand its offerings, including a new private-sector product that matches ID photos with selfies, aimed at verifying identities for access to physical or digital spaces. Despite its growth, Clearview AI remains embroiled in controversies over its data collection practices and the ethical implications of its technology.

Track Clearview.ai and 240+ vendors.

335k+ subscribers read the daily AI & data note. One email, both newsletters. Unsubscribe anytime.

Who buys this

  • Law enforcement agencies
  • Private security firms
  • Financial institutions
  • Educational institutions
  • Corporate clients

Publicly disclosed clients

  • FBI
  • Vaale

Strengths and what to watch

Strengths

  • Largest facial recognition database with over 70 billion images
  • High accuracy across diverse demographics
  • Scalable pricing for various organizational needs

Watch for

  • Ongoing legal challenges and privacy violations
  • Regulatory scrutiny and fines
  • Dependence on controversial data collection practices

Recent moves

Key Information

Founded
2017

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Clearview AI?

Clearview AI provides facial recognition technology, primarily for law enforcement, using a database of over 70 billion images scraped from the internet. Founded in 2017, it helps identify suspects, witnesses, and victims but faces criticism for privacy violations and legal challenges.

How accurate is Clearview AI's facial recognition?

Clearview AI boasts high accuracy across diverse demographics, leveraging its vast database of 70 billion images. Law enforcement agencies like the FBI use it for identifying individuals, though its effectiveness varies with image quality and lighting conditions.

What are the legal issues with Clearview AI?

Clearview AI has faced fines in Italy and the Netherlands for GDPR violations and settled with the ACLU over social media data use. Critics argue its data collection practices violate privacy laws, leading to ongoing regulatory scrutiny.

Who uses Clearview AI's technology?

Clearview AI serves law enforcement agencies, private security firms, financial institutions, and corporate clients. Notable users include the FBI and Vaale. The company also offers private-sector solutions for identity verification in physical and digital spaces.

What is Clearview AI's new private-sector product?

Clearview AI's private-sector product matches ID photos with selfies to verify identities for access to physical or digital spaces. Aimed at businesses and institutions, it expands the company's reach beyond law enforcement.

What recent changes has Clearview AI made?

In 2025, Clearview AI appointed Hal Lambert and Richard Schwartz as co-CEOs, replacing founder Hoan Ton-That, who remains on the board. The company also ranked No. 710 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies.

Sources

  1. www.reuters.com — Clearview AI’s expansion into private sector and legal challenges
  2. techcrunch.com — Italy fines Clearview AI €20M and orders data deleted
  3. www.clearview.ai — Clearview AI’s mission and product offerings
  4. www.reuters.com — Leadership change at Clearview AI