AI to be used to estimate age of UK asylum seekers (www.bbc.com)

The UK government plans to implement an AI-driven age estimation tool next year to help identify adult migrants posing as minors at border crossings. A contract worth £322,000 has been awarded to Akhter Computers Ltd to develop and test the technology, which will analyze photographs of asylum seekers taken at the border. This initiative stems from an increase in asylum claims—over 111,000 in the past year—and aims to streamline assessments where disputes about age occur. Previous data revealed that 43% of those claiming to be children were found to be adults, raising concerns about the potential for misclassification and undermining legal protections for vulnerable children. However, the rollout has drawn significant criticism from human rights organizations and social work professionals. Critics argue that using AI in this sensitive context risks major safeguarding failures, as age assessments require nuanced understanding that trained social workers provide. Human Rights Watch has condemned the approach as unproven and potentially harmful, emphasizing that such technology should not dictate the fate of those seeking protection. The government maintains that the tool will enhance operational efficiency and accuracy in age assessments, but the ethical implications of deploying AI in this capacity remain a contentious issue.