Home Office pushed AI migrant age tool despite racial bias warnings

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe Home Office proceeded with the rollout of an AI tool for age assessment of small boat migrants despite internal reports and independent audits revealing its significant flaws. The Facial Age Estimation (FAE) technology is shown to inaccurately identify teenagers as adults and exhibits “baked-in racial bias”, being least accurate for migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa. Error rates are particularly high for migrant girls from the region, with the technology potentially predicting a 14-year-old girl to be an adult. Scientific advisors to the Home Office claim the government rushed the adoption of the AI for political reasons and disbanded a committee to avoid criticism of the technology's inadequacies. Sixty organisations have sent an open letter urging the Home Office to halt the FAE rollout, citing its inherent failures, discrimination, and imprecision, particularly for those aged 16 to 18. In fullHome Office knew AI age checks for migrant children were flawed — but will roll it out anywayThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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