John Lewis has become the first UK retailer to implement AI-powered age checks for online knife sales, in a move to prevent under-18s from purchasing kitchen knives.
The technology, developed by British company Yoti, uses facial age estimation to verify the buyer’s age.
Customers must consent to having their face scanned, and the AI provides a result within seconds, confirming whether the purchaser is over 18, according to The Times.
This new system marks the return of online knife sales at John Lewis, which had been prohibited since 2009.
The AI, trained on millions of facial images, estimates age with 1.3-year accuracy for people aged 13-17. This ensures that a higher age threshold is applied to prevent any under-18s from being mistakenly approved.
Yoti said the technology is already used on social media platforms and adult sites for age verification and has been approved by Ofcom under the Online Safety Act.
The technology firm added that its system is more reliable than human judgment, with no discernible bias in age estimation across gender or skin tone, although accuracy does decline marginally for darker skin tones.
The technology includes anti-spoofing measures to prevent individuals from using photos to deceive the system. The system was tested by The Times, with a 16-year-old being denied purchase when attempting to buy a knife.
The sale of knives and bladed items longer than three inches to under-18s is illegal in the UK, with retailers facing fines or prosecution if they breach this law.
The UK government recently introduced stricter regulations on machetes and zombie-style knives to close a legal loophole. However, online knife sales have been linked to a rise in knife crime, prompting an ongoing review by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Commander Stephen Clayman, who is leading the review, welcomed John Lewis’s initiative but stressed that more must be done to address the issue, including improved age verification systems. He also highlighted concerns about resellers and illegal sales on social media and the dark web. New laws are being proposed to fine senior social media executives if banned knives are sold on their platforms.
A John Lewis spokesman said: “We take safety incredibly seriously, and in line with strict government guidelines, have added an additional layer of security when customers purchase knives online.
“By adding facial age estimation at checkout, we can help customers buy from our range of knives while making sure they aren’t purchased by anyone under the age of 18.”
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