The UK is testing AI-based age-estimation at the border to help with asylum age assessments. This page answers the top questions people are asking, from how the tool works to safeguards, processing times, and opinions from charities and experts. Explore how this might affect asylum decisions and what protections are in place to address bias and safeguarding concerns.
The AI age-estimation tool uses facial analysis to help determine whether migrants arriving for asylum could be adults or minors. Officials say it supports, not replaces, existing checks conducted by trained staff. The system was developed under a government contract and is planned for broader rollout in 2027, with initial trials starting at selected reception centers.
Experts and charities have raised concerns about bias and safeguarding risks. Safeguards include using AI as an assistive tool rather than a final decision-maker, requiring human review by social workers or qualified staff for definitive judgments, and ongoing monitoring of accuracy. Independent evaluations and transparent reporting are emphasized to catch potential biases and errors early.
The tool is intended to support, not replace, traditional age assessments. Officials say it could streamline some steps, but final determinations depend on human judgments and thorough safeguarding processes. Initial trials and published data show many asylum-seeker age assessments traditionally result in varied outcomes; AI aims to help staff triage and verify information more efficiently.
Charities and child-protection experts warn that AI-based age estimation can misidentify vulnerabilities, especially for unaccompanied minors. They stress the need for trained social workers, robust safeguarding protocols, and clear avenues for appeal if assessments are contested. They also call for independent oversight and data privacy safeguards.
The government has awarded a development contract and plans full rollout by 2027, with initial testing at Western Jet Foil and other sites. The rollout will occur alongside existing checks, with ongoing evaluation to ensure accuracy, fairness, and appropriate safeguarding measures during scale-up.
The AI uses facial-age estimation data derived from biometric imagery collected during border checks. Privacy protections align with standard immigration data practices, including data minimization and access controls. Details on retention, use, and deletion are subject to government policy and ongoing scrutiny by independent bodies.
Currently, immigration officers conduct age assessments when a claimant's age is disputed