UK Home Office Awards Akhter Computers Contract for AI Asylum Seeker Age Tool
The UK Home Office has awarded a contract to Akhter Computers Ltd for the development and deployment of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) age estimation tool. This technology, intended to identify adult migrants presenting as children, is slated for border implementation by mid-2027, with a three-year contract valued at £322,000.
The system will analyse photographs taken at the border to estimate an individual's age. The Home Office states that initial testing showed "promising performance and accuracy," asserting the tool will combat migrants "attempting to game the system." Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, claimed adult migrants making false age claims exploit the system and divert crucial support from at-risk children.
Critical Reception and Safeguarding Concerns
However, the initiative faces significant criticism from human rights organisations and professional bodies. Human Rights Watch has called for the scheme's abandonment, labelling it "unproven technology" that will undermine protections for vulnerable children. Anna Bacciarelli, a senior AI researcher for the group, stated that experimenting with such technology to determine asylum protections is "cruel and unconscionable" and questioned its efficacy in a refugee processing context.
The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) also voiced strong opposition, warning of substantial safeguarding mistakes. Professor Sam Baron, interim CEO of BASW, emphasised that assessing migrant ages is a complex process best handled by social workers, not through "shortcuts through artificial intelligence" that could lead to "major safeguarding risks."
Context of Asylum Claims and Previous Findings
The decision to implement AI technology follows a period of heightened cross-Channel migration. Home Office data for the year ending March 2026 indicates that out of over 6,400 migrants claiming to be children who underwent age assessments, 43% were found to be adults. An independent immigration inspector's report last year highlighted instances where both adults were misclassified as children and vice-versa, noting that without a "foolproof" test, incorrect assessments are inevitable, particularly concerning when a child is denied entitled rights and protections.
Unaccompanied child migrants are afforded distinct legal protections, simplifying their asylum applications and housing them within the care system, differentiating them from adult asylum seekers in hotel accommodation. The new AI tool is intended to supplement existing methods used by border force officials, which include examining documents, appearance, and demeanour, before social workers conduct more thorough assessments when age is disputed.
