Press Release: Age Guardian — A Quebec Innovation Revolutionizing Age Verification Through Artificial Intelligence.
Updated: 1 day ago
A Canadian First Designed to Help Retailers Better Prevent the Sale of Age-Restricted Products to Minors
MONTREAL, September 14, 2026 /CNW/ — A Canadian first developed in Quebec could soon transform the way retailers verify their customers' ages when selling age-restricted products. Today, Age Gaurdain officially announces the commercial launch of its next-generation age estimation device, powered by artificial intelligence, which estimates a person's apparent age in real time.
Using an algorithm trained on tens of thousands of different faces, Age Guardian determines in real time whether a person appears to be 25 years old or younger. When this is the case, an indicator light alerts the store clerk that identification should be requested for age-restricted products.
Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, lottery and gambling products, and soon energy drinks: Age Guardian can be used in any retail environment where certain products are subject to age restrictions. The technology provides a simple and effective decision-support tool for employees responsible for enforcing these restrictions.
Adding an Objective Reference Point to a Subjective Decision
For store clerks, determining when to ask for identification remains a subjective decision that can sometimes lead to difficult interactions with customers. Age Guardian provides an objective reference point while leaving the final decision in the employee's hands.
“Asking for identification may seem like a routine task, but it is something employees must do constantly, and it primarily relies on their own judgment. With Age Guardian, our goal is not to replace that judgment, but to put artificial intelligence to work for them by providing a simple, fast, and objective tool that supports them in their daily responsibilities,” says Philippe Gélinas-Bernier, President of Age Guardian Technologies.
Initial Pilot Projects in Retail Stores
Age Guardian has already been tested through pilot projects in real-world retail environments, including in collaboration with the Regroupement des tabagies du Québec (RTQ).
This collaboration allows the technology to be tested directly in stores and its performance evaluated under the actual conditions faced by retailers and their employees.
Initial observations also suggest that the visible presence of the device at the checkout counter may have a deterrent effect on minors attempting to purchase age-restricted products.
“Retailers want to be part of the solution. We are committed to complying with the law and ensuring that age-restricted products do not end up in the hands of minors. But we must also recognize that restrictions on the sale of certain products have a direct impact on customer traffic and the vitality of our businesses. Age Guardian gives us a practical tool to demonstrate that we can balance protecting minors, complying with the law, and addressing the realities of retail operations. This is exactly the kind of solution retailers need,” says Michel Poulin, spokesperson for the Regroupement des tabagies du Québec.
Technology Designed to Protect Privacy
Privacy protection has been a core consideration in Age Guardian's design from the very beginning.
The analysis is performed instantly: no images are recorded or stored, and no biometric data is retained.
Age Guardian does not attempt to identify individuals. Its sole purpose is to estimate their apparent age to help employees determine whether identification should be requested.
“The goal is simple: to use artificial intelligence in a practical and responsible way to make retailers' jobs easier and strengthen age verification practices, while protecting consumers' privacy,” concludes Philippe Gélinas-Bernier.
With Age Guardian, a Quebec-developed technology is making its way into everyday retail operations with a clear ambition: to make age verification simpler, more objective, and more effective.
About Age GuardianTechnologies
Developed in Quebec, Age Guardian is a next-generation age estimation device. Simple, fast, and powered by artificial intelligence, it provides an objective, real-time indication of customers' apparent age to help employees and retailers comply with regulations governing the sale of age-restricted products.
Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, lottery and gambling products, and energy drinks: Age Guardian is a practical ally in promoting responsible and compliant retail sales.
Designed as a decision-support tool, it assists employees in exercising their judgment without ever replacing it: the final decision always remains in their hands.
Additional Links:
