– Carriers have been using lists to alert users of potential spam and scam calls
– Google previewed a feature at Google I/O 2024 that will alert users to potential scams during calls
– The feature uses Gemini Nano, Google’s AI, to listen for conversation patterns associated with scams and will be opt-in for users
Carriers have been using lists to identify spam and scam calls for a few years, but these systems are not foolproof. Google is introducing a feature at the Google I/O 2024 developer conference that will alert users to potential scams during the call. The feature, utilizing Google’s Generative AI offering Gemini Nano, listens for conversation patterns associated with scams in real-time.
For example, if someone pretends to be a bank representative or asks for passwords or gift cards, the system will trigger a notification for the user. This is to prevent users from falling victim to scams. Google has not set a specific release date for this feature, but it will be opt-in for users.
While the system will not automatically upload data to the cloud, it still listens to conversations, raising privacy concerns among advocates. Being opt-in means that some users who could benefit from this feature may choose not to use it, potentially leaving them vulnerable to scams.