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Google has rolled out a new security feature for millions of Android users. The company has released an AI-based tool designed to identify fraudulent calls, which will issue an alert whenever a fake call is received.

Google has released this new security feature for millions of Android users worldwide. Users have been requesting this feature for a long time. This new feature will automatically detect fraudulent calls incoming on a user’s phone and issue a warning before the user answers the call. Google’s feature is entirely AI-based; it identifies incoming calls to protect users against threats such as AI-enabled voice cloning, call spoofing, and other cyberattacks.

Putting a Curb on ‘Digital Arrests’

In recent years, the phenomenon of “digital arrests” has been a major topic of discussion. Cybercriminals impersonate officials, police officers, or other authorities to communicate with people and subsequently defraud them. To achieve this, they often utilize AI-generated voices. This new tool identifies voices created by AI and issues alerts to users, thereby helping them avoid falling victim to potential scams.

In a blog post, Google announced that this new fake call detection feature has officially been rolled out. It has been released globally simultaneously. Users running Android 12 or a newer operating system version will begin receiving access to this feature. Specifically, this feature is designed to combat AI-based voice cloning scams, call spoofing schemes, and digital arrest frauds.

How ​​Does It Work?

Google’s new feature operates within the default Phone app on Android smartphones. The moment a call comes in to a user’s number, the tool utilizes AI to detect whether or not it is fraudulent. To do this, it sends a signal from the caller’s handset to the receiver’s device to verify the authenticity of the call. Subsequently, an alert regarding the call will appear on the receiver’s screen.

Google’s tool will issue a warning to the user, advising them to disconnect the call immediately. This tool is specifically designed to help prevent cybercrime. This feature will soon be available by default in the Google Phone app. Users can, however, choose to disable this feature if they wish; to do so, they will need to access the Phone app’s settings.