What do you want to know?
- Google previewed a new Android feature at Google I/O 2024 that uses AI to detect phrases associated with scams in phone calls.
- More than $12 billion was lost to digital theft in the U.S. last year, with phishing scams — including fake phone calls — representing the largest number of reports.
- Since the AI call detection feature uses on-device AI, there are no major privacy implications in its use.
Google I/O 2024 was the most developer-focused developer conference we've seen in a long time, and it was full of AI talk. This phrase has been mentioned in one form or another more than 120 times. For consumers, most of the AI features mentioned will not have a tangible impact on the way they use the technology. That's with the notable exception of one feature — AI scam call detection — that could turn out to be the most important Android feature to be added to the platform in years.
Google is testing scam detection alerts. Although the company shared a preview of the feature at Google I/O, we don't have a release date or much details at this time. Google has promised to share more details “later this year,” and that's the best timeline we have. Still, the idea behind the feature is great, and it looks impressive in the demo.
We're testing a new feature that uses Gemini Nano to provide real-time alerts during a call if it detects conversational patterns commonly associated with scams. This protection works across all devices so your conversations stay private to you. More coming later this year! #GoogleIO pic.twitter.com/l87wGCz62xMay 14, 2024
The proposition is simple: AI will help unsuspecting consumers avoid falling prey to cell phone scams. It uses on-device AI to detect words and phrases commonly associated with phishing schemes and alerts the user that the call they are receiving is likely a scam. For example, in the demo video, Google showed a scam detection alert that appeared after a so-called “bank representative” asked a user to transfer funds to a new account.
Basically, the AI model will be trained to know which types of applications are prone to fraud. The most common type of fraud scam today involves scammers asking people to pay with gift cards. In this way, AI scam call detection can alert the user that a scam may be a possibility when the caller asks them to send gift card redemption codes.
Surprisingly, feedback from users on social media about AI scam detection has not been overwhelmingly positive. However, this feature has the potential to do the most good of anything announced at Google I/O, and here's why.
People are losing billions of dollars to scammers.
First, let's address the obvious question: Do we really need AI to tell us not to transfer our life savings based on an unsolicited phone call? It may be hard to believe, but the answer is yes. Chances are, if you're reading Android Central, you probably have a greater understanding of tech literacy and internet security than the average person. Tech-savvy people can quickly spot scams, and most of us know better than to pick up the phone when we don't know the number and aren't expecting a call.
Not everyone is tech savvy enough to spot scams quickly and efficiently. Older people are often the victims of these types of scams. We can all probably think of someone in our lives who has been fooled by a scam phone call, especially as scammers evolve and find new ways to try to trick people. are
If you're still not convinced that spam calls are a huge problem in 2024, here are some numbers to back it up. In a blog post announcing the feature, Google cited a study by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. It found that in 2023 alone, people worldwide lost an estimated $1.026 trillion to scams and identity theft. The report included 49,459 people from 43 countries and shows just how common the scams are.
Although these are estimated figures, we have more concrete data in the U.S. The FBI releases an Internet Crime Report each year that details reports of online theft and scams and the amount of money stolen. In 2023, losses due to digital scams in the US will reach $12.5 billion, up from $10.3 billion in 2022 and $6.9 billion in 2021. Both the number of online scams and the amount lost are increasing rapidly. For reference, only $3.5 billion was lost in 2019 — so the amount lost has tripled over a five-year period.
There are all different types of online scams and identity theft that contribute to the Internet Crime Report. However, the largest number of complaints reported to the FBI came from phishing schemes. In 2023, there were 298,878 reports of phishing scams in the U.S., more than the other four categories combined.
For the uninitiated, phishing scams attempt to trick consumers into giving up information or money on purpose. For example, when someone calls you pretending to be the bank or the IRS, they're trying to spoof your credentials or cash. These are precisely the types of scams that Google's scam detection feature can thwart using AI.
Google won't listen to your calls — it's all processed on the device.
Google's feature works by analyzing your calls in real time and matching words and phrases commonly used in scams. Sounds like a privacy nightmare, right? Actually, it's not because Google is using on-device processing for the whole thing. For years, companies have used on-device processing to prevent certain types of sensitive information from leaving your device. Google has the Titan M2 security chip, and Apple has the Secure Enclave.
In this case, Google is using the Gemini Nano model to detect potential scams in your calls. This means that Google will not be able to listen to your calls or collect any data from them. It will all happen on your phone, using Google's smallest AI model, without sending any information to the company.
It comes with its downsides like phone compatibility. Since it uses the Gemini Nano, the scam call detection feature will likely only be compatible with certain phones like the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S24 series if it launches today. The Gemini Nano is said to come to the Pixel 8 later and may come to more phones in the future. But for the sake of privacy, only devices capable of running Gemini Nano will be able to use this functionality.
Scam detection alerts will save many people from theft.
I've long said that AI will be far more beneficial to casual and non-technical users than motivated ones – especially at the beginning. A great example of this concept is Google's plan for AI fraud detection alerts. They may not help you or me, but they will help a lot of people avoid scam attempts before they put them in a terrible situation.
These are the kinds of qualities that can make the difference between a life-altering mistake and an easy escape from a crisis. So, for all the AI nonsense that went on at Google I/O, these scam detection alerts are what I'm most looking forward to seeing on Android phones.