UK to roll out AI facial recognition at borders to identify adults posing as child asylum seekers

The UK government is moving ahead with plans to introduce artificial intelligence technology at the border to help identify asylum seekers who falsely claim to be children.The system, expected to be introduced in 2027, will estimate a person’s age by analysing facial photographs taken during immigration checks. Officials say the technology is intended to support existing age assessment procedures and improve the identification of adults claiming to be minors, BBC reports.The Home Office has awarded a contract to Harlow-based company Akhter Computers Ltd to further develop and test the software before its deployment.The move follows concerns over the accuracy of age assessments for unaccompanied migrants. Government figures show that more than 6,400 individuals claiming to be children underwent age assessments in the year ending March 2026, with 43 per cent later determined to be adults.Minister for Border Security and Asylum , Alex Norris, said adults falsely claiming to be children had diverted resources away from those genuinely in need of protection.“That is why we are rolling out AI technology to put a stop to this, ensuring those who game the system are identified, detained and removed without delay,” Norris said as quoted by BBC.The project is expected to cost £322,000 over three years.The Home Office says early trials of the AI system have shown promising levels of accuracy, with further testing scheduled before the technology is introduced at UK border points.