Google is rolling out its smart AI scam detector for the Pixel Phone app
- AI-powered Scam Detection feature is rolling out for the Pixel Phone app
- Feature scans audio of incoming calls and sends scam alerts
- Currently only available in the beta version of the app for US users
After announcing the feature at Google I/O 2024 in May, Google is now rolling out its AI-powered Scam Detection feature to the Pixel Phone app – although it’s only available in beta for US users for now.
The rollout was announced by Google in a blog post (via 9to5Google), with the promise that they will also appear on other Android devices besides Pixels in the future. For now, the 2021 Pixel 6 and all later Pixels are eligible for the update.
As we previously reported, the feature uses built-in AI to scan the audio of your incoming calls. If the algorithms detect that you might be scammed, you will see a warning about it on the Phone app screen.
“For example, if a caller claims to be from your bank and asks you to urgently transfer money due to an alleged breach of your account, Scam Detection will process the call to determine whether the call is likely to be spam and, if so is, provide an audio signal and haptic warning and visual warning that the call may be a scam,” Google explains.
Local processing
While the thought of AI listening to your calls is a little unnerving, this is all handled locally, with no data sent back to the cloud: the Pixel 9 phones use the built-in Gemini Nano, and older Pixels use “other robust Google on machine learning models for devices”.
While the rise of generative AI certainly has its benefits, it is also proving to be a problem in the field of digital security. Fraudsters are using the technology to create scam calls, while the good guys are fighting back with their own AI operators.
The new feature adds to the suite of security measures already available in the Phone app for Pixels. These protections include Call Screen, which allows calls to be answered with a bot to see what the caller wants before getting involved.
In this early form in the beta app, Scam Detection isn’t enabled by default: you’ll need to go into the app settings (via the three-dot button in the top right corner) to enable it. Google is also asking early adopters for feedback on the feature and how well it works before rolling it out more widely.