Pixel phones now have AI-powered scam protection

Have you noticed that most phone calls you receive these days are from scammers? Google is aware of this issue and has introduced a new feature to protect Pixel owners from falling victim to scams. According to the official Google Security Blog, the company is using its Gemini AI tools to detect potential scam calls in real-time on Pixel devices.

The new Scam Detection feature uses on-device AI to identify common conversation patterns associated with scams. This system is currently in beta and is being rolled out to Pixel 6 and newer models. Google specifically mentions phishing attempts related to fake bank account breaches as one of the scams it aims to detect.

If the system detects a scam call, users will receive an audio chime, visual notification, and haptic vibration. This multi-alert system is designed to alert users to potential scams and prevent them from falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

The new system, powered by Gemini Nano, runs locally on Pixel hardware to ensure user privacy. It is exclusive to Pixel 6 and newer models for now. Additionally, the system is turned off by default, giving users the option to enable or disable it based on their preferences.

In addition to protecting against scam calls, Google is also enhancing its protection system for malicious Android apps. Play Protect now includes an always-on detection system that can provide real-time alerts based on the activity patterns of apps. This feature is initially available on Pixel 6 and newer models, with plans to expand to other phone makers in the future.