Google has released its latest AI update that secures users from scam phone calls. Google launched this feature at their I/O developer conference on Tuesday.
This new update monitors each call for any fraudulent conversation patterns and alerts the user to drop the call if any fraud is suspected. The new android update aims to provide security to the user without infringing on their privacy.
What Are Spam/Scam Calls?
Spam calls are unwanted calls that trick the user into revealing their vital personal details such as bank account details, OTPs, etc.
The caller ID will mark such calls as ‘spam calls’ and inform the users. They can be in the form of robocalls, illegal calls or unwanted calls. A call can be tagged as spam if
- The call comes from a number that has made a high volume of calls (more than 20,000) in a month.
- Calls made from this number are usually of short duration.
- Calls are pre-recorded.
- Missed calls are not returned.
- There is a high volume of unanswered calls from the number.
How Are Scam Calls Detected?
Most mobile devices have in-built mechanisms to identify spam calls. Whenever a call is suspected to be spam, the device flags it as ‘spam’ or ‘scam-likely’. There are many third party applications that detect and block spam calls.
What Is Google’s New AI powered Scam Detection Technology And How Does It Work?
Google’s new AI powered scam detection facility uses artificial intelligence to identify and mark scam calls or scam-likely calls. Google attains this aim using a feature called Gemini Nano.
Gemini nano is a reduced version of Google’s Large Language Model (LLM) featuring multimodality. This version is specifically designed to be used on android devices.
It uses images and the spoken language, in addition to text, to detect patterns of various user activities. Gemini nano works locally on each device and protects the user’s identity while monitoring their activities.
The new scam detection feature is available offline too. It uses AI to analyze calls for any vital signs that indicate any likely scam activity. Users can use such machine learned alerts to decide whether to continue or terminate the call. These alerts are given real-time.
This security feature needs the user to proactively select it to be used on their device. The data collection and processing is done locally on the mobile device. No data is collected and saved to any server. This ensures privacy for the users.
Google, at the I/O developer conference, demonstrated this new feature using fraud calls by people posing as bank representatives asking for OTPs or money transfers.
The AI powered Gemini Nano was demonstrated to detect such calls and alert the user with on-screen messages such as ‘scam-likely’ and ‘banks will not ask you to transfer funds’.
Is This Feature Compatible With All Android Devices?
The new google feature is currently in its nascent phase and is now available only on flagship android phones such as Google Pixel 8 Pro and Samsung S24 series. Google plans to expand this feature to other devices later this year.
Is the AI Powered Scam Detection Facility Officially Released?
The AI powered android scam detection facility is currently in its testing stage and is only available on limited flagship versions.
Google plans to launch it on millions of android powered devices within a few months. Google, at present, is testing this facility to make it fool-proof. Google representatives said that Google will update about this new feature in the coming months.
What Is The Relevance of Google’s New Scam Detection Feature?
The AI powered scam detection feature of Google is highly relevant for this new era where advanced technological developments are increasingly being used by fraudsters for major thefts like stealing personal details, passwords, etc. and in turn stealing money.
The data by Global Anti-scam Alliance, released last October, paints a scary picture of mobile-device related scams where 1 in 4 people have been cheated by fraudsters and almost 1 trillion USD has been lost to frauds. This is a scary number.
Given the advancements in technology with the introduction of AI, Google’s new initiative at spam detection is the need of the hour, and every android user should proactively make use of the facility to safeguard their money and other personal details.
