UK to deploy facial age estimation on asylum seekers despite internal tests showing high error rates
Tags AI · Infrastructure · Surveillance
The UK government will begin using facial age estimation (FAE) AI to assess the age of asylum seekers arriving at borders starting in 2027, despite internal Home Office tests showing the technology regularly misclassifies children as adults. An investigation by WIRED and Lighthouse Reports obtained internal test data revealing serious bias problems, with the largest group of migrants subject to age assessments in 2025 being most affected. Children incorrectly classified as adults can be placed in adult-only detention centers and lose legal protections. The UK would be the first country to deploy FAE in immigration enforcement.
Technical significance
This case sets a precedent for deploying known-flawed AI in high-stakes government decisions. The internal test data showing systematic bias against specific demographics should trigger scrutiny under the UK's Equality Act and the EU AI Act's prohibited practices. For the AI industry, it demonstrates the gap between technical capability assessments and policy implementation timelines.