AI facial recognition to check age of asylum seekers from next year

The UK government plans to deploy an AI facial recognition tool at its borders next year to estimate the age of asylum seekers and identify adults posing as children. The technology, developed by Harlow-based Akhter Computers Ltd under a £322,000 contract, aims to prevent adult migrants from falsely claiming to be minors to access the care system, which offers more favorable treatment. Initial testing by the Home Office showed promising accuracy, but the technology has not yet been used in live decision-making. The rollout is scheduled for mid-2027, with further development and trials planned. This move comes amid rising numbers of asylum claims, with over 111,000 people seeking asylum in the UK in the year ending June 2025, a 14% increase from the previous year. In the year ending March 2026, more than 6,400 migrants claiming to be children underwent age assessments, with 43% found to be adults. The challenge of accurately determining age has long been a concern, as highlighted in a recent independent immigration inspector’s report, which noted errors in classifying both adults as children and vice versa. The report emphasized the absence of a "foolproof" age assessment method, raising concerns about the rights and protections of vulnerable children. The Home Office argues that the AI tool will help curb abuse of the asylum system by ensuring that adults who falsely claim to be minors are identified, detained, and removed promptly, allowing genuine child migrants to receive appropriate support. However, Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups have criticized the plan, describing the technology as unproven and warning it could undermine protections for vulnerable children. The government has tested the AI on diverse images reflecting the asylum-seeking population but has yet to implement it in real cases. The upcoming trial at the Western Jet Foil terminal will mark the first live use of the system, signaling a significant shift in the UK’s approach to age verification in asylum processing.