This new scam-busting feature will be part of a future Android update. It uses Gemini Nano, the smallest model part of Google’s family of large language models, which is designed to run on the device rather than needing to connect to the cloud.
How it works? Well, the feature will send a notification if the AI detects “conversation patterns commonly associated with scams.” For instance, you would get an alert if someone claiming to be a bank representative urgently asks you to transfer funds or pay with a gift card or requests personal info like card PINs or passwords, which are unusual bank requests.
Image Credit–Google
Google says that this protection happens on your device, so your conversation remains private. Plus, the feature will be opt-in, giving you the option to choose whether to use it or not, which is a good thing.
I mean, even though Gemini Nano ensures that the system won’t automatically upload to the cloud, it is still essentially listening to your conversations, which might not sit well with everyone. There is no set release date yet, but Google plans to provide more details later this year.
As Google shares, according to a recent report, in just 12 months, people worldwide lost over $1 trillion to fraud. Phone scams, in particular, remain a significant issue, so it is encouraging to see tech companies working on solutions. Meanwhile, if you want to stay protected, check out our piece on how to stay safe in a world full of tricks.