UK to trial AI age checks at border to curb fake-minor asylum claims

The UK will pilot an AI facial-age estimation tool at border checks next year to identify adults posing as unaccompanied minors. A £322,000 contract awarded to Akhter Computers Ltd will develop and test the system ahead of a mid-2027 rollout. Home Office officials say the tool will help prevent gaming the system, while rights groups like Human Rights Watch warn it is unproven and could undermine protections for children. Age assessments now rely on documents and medical tests, with the AI serving as an additional aid rather than a replacement for human decision-making.