Sep 30, 2025
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AI Outperforms Humans in CAPTCHA, New Identity Verification Needed
CAPTCHA tests, traditionally used to differentiate humans from bots online, are losing effectiveness as AI technology advances. Recent research highlights that AI now surpasses human accuracy in solving these tests.
- University of California researchers found AI more adept than humans at solving CAPTCHAs.
- Attempts to make CAPTCHAs harder have led to worse user experiences without improving security.
- Modern AI exhibits over 95% accuracy in CAPTCHA tests, while humans score lower due to various factors.
- OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent bypassed Cloudflare's CAPTCHA checks unnoticed.
- ETH Zurich demonstrated AI models achieving 100% success with Google's reCAPTCHA v2.
This trend indicates the need for a new approach to online identity verification, moving beyond CAPTCHAs.
A New Approach: Proof of Personhood
- Focus on verifying human presence rather than solving puzzles.
- Ensure systems are privacy-respecting and rights-preserving.
- Enable usability across diverse contexts like finance and governance.
By adopting a proof of personhood model, digital systems can establish trust and verify humanity effectively, avoiding the arms race between CAPTCHAs and AI advancements.