UK to Test Controversial AI Tool on Migrants Posing as Children

The United Kingdom plans to implement an artificial intelligence tool next year to identify adult migrants falsely claiming to be children at its borders. Akhter Computers, a local company, has secured a three-year contract worth 322,000 pounds (430,000 dollars) to develop and trial the technology, which estimates age by analyzing facial images taken at border crossings.

The Home Office asserts that this technology will help identify adults attempting to exploit the system, pointing to promising preliminary results from tests on individuals from various ethnic groups. The system uses facial recognition models trained on extensive datasets, analyzing facial proportions, skin texture, and other anatomical features to calculate a probable age range. Officials state the AI will assist, not decide, border agents.

However, organizations like Human Rights Watch are calling for the program's termination, labeling it "unproven technology" that could jeopardize children's safety. Unaccompanied minors in the UK are entitled to support from local authorities and placement within the care system, along with enhanced legal protections that increase their chances of remaining in the country long-term. The UK government is seeking technological solutions to manage its escalating asylum crisis, which incurs significant costs for housing and infrastructure.

Experts in machine learning have long warned that facial analysis systems can exhibit higher error rates for certain ethnic groups. The UK's Home Office data indicates that age misrepresentation is a significant issue; in the fiscal year ending June 2025, over 111,000 people sought asylum, a 14% increase. Between March 2025 and March 2026, officials verified the ages of over 6,400 migrants claiming to be children, finding that 43% were adults. A report last year also noted errors in both directions, with adults sometimes classified as children and vice versa. The reliability of determining age solely from facial appearance remains a subject of scientific debate, particularly for individuals on the cusp of adulthood.

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unproven technology