CAMPAIGNERS have raised concerns that the government will be using artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up decisions on asylum cases. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a series of new measures for the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill today. 

Among those were that foreign sex offenders will be excluded from seeking refuge, tougher measures to weed out fraudulent immigration lawyers, and the deployment of AI in decisions on claims. 

Caseworkers will use AI to speed up access to relevant country advice and summarise lengthy interview transcripts, making the process quicker.

This could save decision-makers up to an hour per case, the government said.

Natasha Tsangarides of Freedom from Torture said: “The government has shown a welcome willingness to admit and process asylum claims swiftly. 

“However, quality must not be sacrificed in the pursuit of speed, otherwise we run the risk of sending refugees back to torture and persecution. 

“We should be very concerned that AI will be used to make decisions that can literally mean life or death for the men, women and children coming to the UK seeking our protection.”