Google adds Gemini Nano AI to Chrome to fight against online scams
In a move to enhance online safety, Google has announced a significant expansion of its AI-powered defenses on Chrome. Gemini Nano is an on-device large language model that will help combat online scams more effectively. The company shared the update on Thursday, detailing that this technology is being rolled out on desktop platforms and gradually on Android devices as well.
Enhanced Protection Mode
Google highlights that Chrome’s Enhanced Protection mode within Safe Browsing now integrates Gemini Nano to offer an additional shield against scams. This mode already provides twice the protection against phishing and other online threats compared to the Standard Protection setting.
Defending Against Scams
The AI model is already in action, defending users from remote tech support scams, which are a commonly exploited vector. Google aims to extend these protections across Android devices and broaden the types of scams it can intercept in future updates.
New Warning Systems
Alongside the desktop deployment, the new AI-driven warning systems on Android aim to protect users from malicious or misleading website notifications. Scam risks often persist beyond the immediate site via push notifications, which can deceive users even after they’ve left the page.
Google notes that Gemini Nano’s Large Language Model is ideal for this use due to its ability to distill the varied, complex nature of websites, helping to adapt to new scam tactics more quickly. By processing data on-device, Gemini Nano provides instant analysis of potentially risky websites, offering users greater defense, even against previously unseen scams.
Enhanced User Protection
Chrome’s on-device machine learning model will issue alerts when a notification is suspected to be malicious, spammy, or misleading and label them as “Possible scam.” Users will have the option to unsubscribe or proceed to view the blocked content. If users believe a site was flagged incorrectly, they can still choose to allow all future notifications from it.
AI in the Fight Against Online Fraud
Google emphasizes the broader role AI plays in its fight against online fraud, particularly within Search. The company’s AI systems currently detect and block hundreds of millions of scam-related results daily, marking a significant improvement in identifying scam content. One notable scam trend has been the impersonation of airline customer service agents, with Google reporting an 80 percent reduction in such fraudulent activity, significantly lowering the chances of users encountering fake support phone numbers in Search results.
Strategic Push Towards AI Solutions
Google’s latest announcements highlight a strategic push towards on-device AI solutions that offer real-time, adaptive protection. By leveraging Gemini Nano’s processing capabilities, Google aims to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.
