UK awards £322,000 for facial age assessment of asylum seekers

The UK government has announced plans to introduce artificial intelligence-powered facial age estimation technology to assess young asylum seekers whose age is disputed, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from a coalition of over one hundred refugee and children's organizations. The Home Office awarded a three-year, 322,000-pound contract to Essex-based firm Akhter Computers Ltd to further test and develop the system, with a national rollout expected in 2027.

The technology will analyze facial photographs already taken of individuals arriving via small boats at the Western Jet Foil reception centre in Dover. Officials said early trials demonstrated promising performance and accuracy. Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris stated that the measure is intended to address what the government describes as widespread abuse, where adults falsely claim to be children to access different legal protections and avoid detention. For too long, adult migrants making false age claims have exploited the system and diverted vital support away from children at risk, Norris said. That is why we are rolling out AI technology to put a stop to this.

However, the coalition of charities and...