Charities decry UK plan to use AI to assess age of young asylum seekers

A coalition of more than 100 refugee children's organisations has expressed grave concerns over the UK government's plan to utilise artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the age of young asylum seekers. The move, announced by the Home Office on Friday, involves a contract to roll out AI facial age estimation technology on young asylum seekers whose age is disputed. The charities, which include prominent refugee children's organisations, warn that the use of AI to assess age could result in more children wrongly ending up in adult prisons or detention centres.

This technology, they argue, is unreliable and could have severe consequences for vulnerable young people. The Home Office has not disclosed the specifics of the AI technology or the criteria it will use to assess age. However, the charities claim that using AI for this purpose is a recipe for disaster, given the high stakes involved.

'This is a deeply worrying development,' said a spokesperson for one of the charities. 'We urge the government to reconsider this decision and prioritise the welfare and safety of these young people.' The use of AI to assess age has sparked concerns about accuracy and bias. Critics argue that facial recognition technology is not yet mature enough to accurately determine age, particularly in individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Moreover, there are concerns about the potential for bias in the data used to train the AI algorithms. As the UK government moves forward with its plans, the coalition of charities is calling for a rethink. They argue that age assessments should be carried out using established, reliable methods, rather than untested AI technology.

The consequences of wrongful age assessment can be severe, including detention in adult facilities, which can have long-term psychological and emotional impacts on young people. The Home Office has yet to respond to the criticism from the charities. However, it remains to be seen how the government will address the concerns raised and whether it will reconsider its decision to use AI to assess the age of young asylum seekers.