Google Chrome’s New AI Shield: Gemini Nano Fights Online Scams
Google is bolstering its defenses against online scams with the power of AI. The tech giant announced that it's integrating its on-device large language model (LLM), Gemini Nano, into Google Chrome to protect users from phishing and other malicious activities. This move aims to provide real-time insights into risky websites, even those that haven't been encountered before.
This initiative arrives at a time when online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The company says consumers worldwide lost over $1 trillion to scams last year to scams. Google's AI-powered scam detection systems have already proven effective in Search, catching 20 times more scammy pages.
The integration of Gemini Nano into Chrome’s Enhanced Protection mode will provide users with an additional layer of security. According to Google, Chrome’s Enhanced Protection mode offers twice the protection against phishing and other online threats compared to the browser’s Standard Protection mode. The on-device approach ensures that the analysis happens quickly and protects user privacy, as the data doesn't need to be sent to a remote server.
"Gemini Nano’s LLM is perfect for this use because of its ability to distill the varied, complex nature of websites, helping us adapt to new scam tactics more quickly," Google stated in a blog post.
Beyond website analysis, Google is also introducing AI-powered warnings for Chrome on Android to alert users to spammy notifications. Malicious websites often abuse notifications to trick users, so this feature will flag suspicious alerts and allow users to unsubscribe or view the blocked content. If a notification is flagged as possibly being a scam, you will receive a warning. You can choose to either unsubscribe or view the content that was blocked.
Google Search is also benefitting from AI advancements. Google says bad actors impersonating airline customer service agents and scamming people looking for help. The company says it has reduced these scams by over 80%, decreasing the risk of users coming across a scammy phone number on Search.
Phiroze Parakh, senior director of engineering for Google Search, highlighted the ongoing battle against scammers. "Now, both sides have new tools," Parakh told CNN, emphasizing the need to proactively leverage them for better protection.
These developments underscore the growing importance of AI in combating online threats. As scammers become more sophisticated, AI provides the scalability and adaptability needed to stay one step ahead. Google's integration of Gemini Nano and other AI-powered features across Chrome and Search represents a significant step forward in creating a safer online experience for users. In 2024 alone, the company removed hundreds of millions of scam search results daily because of the AI advancements.
What are your thoughts on Google's latest AI-powered security measures? Do you feel more secure browsing with Chrome's Enhanced Protection? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
