Amid the debate over the controversial facial recognition technology, Microsoft has announced to restrict public access to several of its AI-powered facial analysis tools, including retiring facial analysis tools that purport to infer emotional states and identity gender, age, smile, facial hair, hair and makeup.

The tech giant said that it will not provide open-ended API (application programming interface) access to technology that can scan people's faces and purport to infer their emotional states based on their facial expressions or movements.