AI will be used to estimate age of asylum seekers from next year (www.bbc.co.uk)

The UK government is set to implement an AI-driven age estimation tool for assessing the ages of asylum seekers at the border starting next year. This initiative aims to combat adult migrants falsely claiming to be children, which has been a rising concern due to the influx of asylum seekers arriving via small boats across the English Channel. In the year ending March 2026, it was reported that 43% of those assessed as minors were actually adults. The Home Office has contracted Akhter Computers Ltd to develop and test this technology, which will analyze photographs of individuals to provide age estimates, thus adding a new dimension to existing assessment methods. The rollout has garnered significant criticism from human rights organizations and social workers, who argue that reliance on unproven technology undermines the rights of vulnerable children and may lead to detrimental mistakes in safeguarding. Critics warn that mishandling age assessments could deny protections that unaccompanied minors are entitled to under international law. As the technology approaches real-world testing, ongoing debates highlight the balance between enhancing border security and upholding ethical responsibilities towards asylum seekers, particularly children.