How Google is trying to outsmart scammers with AI

The internet is a playground for scammers, and for over a decade, Google has been building its AI muscle to keep them out of your way. Now, with the release of a new report, Google is peeling back the curtain on how its AI-powered defenses are stepping up across Search, Chrome, and Android.

Let’s unpack the update

In Search, Google’s AI now blocks hundreds of millions of scammy results daily. And that’s not just a big number. It’s a massive leap. Thanks to beefed-up classifiers and smarter detection systems, Google is catching 20 times more scam pages than before. That means fewer shady results, fewer fake customer service numbers, and fewer “oops” moments for people trying to get real help. Looking at you, fake airline hotlines.

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The Chrome browser is also getting a major upgrade. Safe Browsing’s Enhanced Protection mode, already twice as effective as Standard, is now powered by Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device large language model. It’s like having a digital bodyguard that reads the room in real time. The best part? It works instantly and doesn’t need to “see” a scam before knowing something’s off. That’s especially handy for blocking sneaky remote tech support scams, which is one of today’s biggest digital threats.

But Google’s not stopping at websites. Scammy notifications? Flagged. Shady phone calls and texts? Intercepted. On Android, on-device AI now scans messages and calls for red flags. If something’s fishy, you’ll know before you even respond.

All of this signals a simple truth: scammers are getting craftier, but Google’s AI is getting faster, smarter, and more proactive.

So if Chrome suddenly warns you about a sketchy ping, or Messages pauses before letting you tap, don’t be surprised. That’s AI doing its job. Silently. Powerfully. And very much in real time.