UK Home Office Plans AI Trial to Assess Asylum Seekers' Ages

The UK Home Office plans to trial AI-powered facial age estimation technology to assess disputed ages of asylum seekers who claim to be children, aiming for full implementation by 2026. This initiative follows a critical report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, which found significant failings in current age assessments, including pressure on children to declare themselves over 18 and reliance on subjective physical indicators. The government has decided to move away from intrusive scientific methods such as X-rays and MRI scans, which have been criticized for being unreliable and ethically problematic, especially since they are often based on data from European children that may not apply to migrants from other regions. Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle emphasized that AI offers a quicker, cost-effective, and less invasive alternative with a known degree of accuracy. However, watchdogs and NGOs have expressed concern over possible errors and the impact on children wrongly denied protections, highlighting the complexity and sensitivity involved in accurately determining age in asylum cases. The move responds to ongoing issues where children have been misclassified as adults, sometimes leading to harsh legal consequences, including imprisonment under adult systems.