Scam Protection: Google integrates local Gemini AI into Chrome browser

Google, just like Microsoft, continues its push of AI into its products. Google Chrome, the company's web browser, is getting its fair share of AI features. After announcing that AI would soon be able to take over tasks from Chrome users and that it enabled real-time protection checks for all users, Google now revealed new security protections powered by its Gemini AI that are coming to Chrome and Android.

Google announced the new functionality on its The Keyword blog. The fact that the announcement was published on Google's main blog and not a Chrome or Security blog highlights the importance of the feature. The AI is designed to protect Chrome desktop users from scams and Android users who run Chrome get new spam warnings, courtesy of the AI.

Google Chrome: desktop AI protection

Google says that it is adding the AI protection to Chrome's Enhanced Protection mode on the desktop. This Safe Browsing mode needs to be enabled by the user and has kept users "twice as safe from phishing and other scams" compared to the default standard mode according to Google.

The AI integration adds a new layer of protection to Chrome. It uses the Gemini Nano on-device large language model to provide "instant insight on risky websites" to "offer protection, even against scams that haven't been seen before" writes Google. The new feature is already being used by Google to "protect users from remote tech support scams". The company plans to expand the protection to Android and additional types of scams as well.

Chrome for Android: protection against spam messages

Google is also making use of AI to protect users better against notifications from websites that are either outright maicious or trying to scam users. The on-device machine learning model steps in if a notification from a website appears to be problematic. Google Chrome will then display a clear warning to the user with the option to look at the notification or unsubscribe from the website, so that no further notifications will be received.

Users who believe a notification is legitimate may also allow future notifications to arrive on the device to avoid Chrome stepping in all the time.

Google Messages and Phone protections

The new Scam Detection feature in Google Messages and Phone by Google is using AI to determine scam call or messages. It is powered by an on-device AI-powered feature that displays a warning to the user if a phone call or message is likely a scam. Users may then use the report & block option to deal with this and future attempts, or to allow the call or message.

Closing Words

Are we going to see an AI race between AI that is designed to secure and protect users, and AI that is designed to create sophisticated attacks to bypass these protections and lure human users into traps? Google and Microsoft continue to push AI protections into their products, and also other types of AI. But malware groups are also making use of AI.

Now You: would you allow local AI protections to run on your devices? Or won't you allow AI to run on your devices automatically under any circumstances? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

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