These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
One solution to the multi-trillion-dollar counterfeit goods problem may be as simple as pointing your phone’s camera at, say, a watch or a handbag and letting smart software determine its authenticity. FeaturePrint, an optical AI technology, first “sees” miniscule surface details of physical items and “fingerprints” them into unique mathematical identities. Then, it can tell you whether an item is fake or genuine with a click of a button. “No stickers, tags, or markers needed,” says Alitheon CEO Roei Ganzarski. One customer is Argor-Heraeus, which makes gold bars for national banks.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
- How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
- The Reintroduction of Kamala Harris
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
- The 1 Heart-Health Habit You Should Start When You’re Young
- Cuddling Might Help You Get Better Sleep
- The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now