Facial recognition technology is being tested by Google for campus security, beginning at a location near Seattle.

• CNBC has learned that Google is testing facial-tracking technology for its campus security.
• The test is initially taking place at an office in Kirkland, Washington.
• The GSRS team will utilize the data to identify individuals who may pose a security threat to Google's people products or locations, according to an internal document.

Google is implementing facial recognition technology for office security to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing their campuses, as stated in a CNBC report.

The test is occurring at one of the sites in Kirkland, Washington, a Seattle suburb, according to the document. Facial data is being collected through interior security cameras and compared to images stored from employee badge images, including the extended workforce, to determine if there are any unauthorized individuals on the premises.

The GSRS team will utilize the data to identify individuals who may pose a security threat to Google's people products or locations, according to the document.

Protocols exist for identifying, reporting, and potentially removing unauthorized individuals to ensure the safety and security of our people and spaces.

At the Kirkland testing site, individuals entering the building will not have the option to decline facial screening. Nevertheless, the document specifies that the data collected is only for immediate use and not stored. Employees can opt out of having their ID images stored by completing a form. Google has informed CNBC that ID badge photos were part of the testing process but will not be utilized in the future.

Our security team has been testing and implementing new systems and protections for many years to ensure the safety of our people and spaces, as stated by a Google spokesperson in an email.

At least one violent incident has occurred at Google in the past. In 2018, a woman shot three people at YouTube's office in San Bruno, California, claiming she targeted the company because she "hated" it for blocking her videos.

Google's Kirkland test comes at a critical juncture as the company is at the forefront of the AI revolution and is rapidly integrating AI into its diverse array of products and services. The use of facial recognition technology is particularly contentious due to the privacy implications associated with surveillance.

In 2021, Google announced new security measures, such as fencing off parts of its headquarters in Mountain View, California, due to construction plans that included public and retail spaces. Lately, company executives have cited security reasons for limiting employee access after a series of layoffs and protests over the past year.

Recently, Google has announced plans to eliminate about 12,000 jobs, or 6% of its workforce, in response to a downturn in the online ad market and a broader economic slowdown.

In April, over 50 Google employees were terminated following a series of protests over labor conditions and Project Nimbus, a cloud and AI contract with the Israeli government and military. The employees staged sit-in protests at Google offices in New York and Sunnyvale.

During an all-hands meeting last month, Google's vice president of global security, Chris Rackow, revealed that the company used its video camera footage extensively to identify employees who were deemed disruptive during protests and made their colleagues feel threatened and unsafe, as obtained by CNBC through audio of the meeting.

In 2020, facial recognition technology became a major concern for lawmakers due to pressure from civil rights activists and protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd. As a result, some states imposed restrictions on the sale of their technology to police.

In 2020, Amazon faced scrutiny from U.S. senators over its use of employee surveillance after deploying AI-equipped cameras in delivery vans. In April, warehouse workers sued Amazon, alleging the company illegally collected biometric data that included face scans. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission proposed barring Rite Aid from using facial recognition software in its drugstores for five years to settle allegations it improperly used the technology to identify shoplifters.

The cost of security for Google, both on campus and at the top levels of the company, has been increasing. In 2023, CEO Sundar Pichai's personal security cost the company $6.8 million, an increase from $5.9 million the previous year, as per regulatory filings.

WATCH: Google, Microsoft announce layoffs