Google has an idea to prevent phone scams, but it'll mean allowing its AI to listen in on your calls

• Google is testing its Gemini AI to detect and alert users of potential scams during phone calls.
• The AI alerts users of scam patterns like urgent payment demands.

Google is playing around with AI tech that would listen to your calls and warn you of potential scams.

Google announced on X on Tuesday that it's testing a new Gemini AI feature that "provides real-time alerts during a call if it detects conversation patterns commonly associated with scams."

"This protection all happens on-device so your conversation stays private to you," the company said.

The announcement is part of Google's expansion of the Gemini Nano, the company's AI model that was added to the Pixel 9 smartphone.

Google says the new feature would alert users for things like a bank representative pressuring you for an urgent payment, or demanding transactions through gift cards.

The FTC estimates Americans lost up to $10 billion to scams last year alone. Scams often take place online or over the phone. In December, an executive for Mandiant, a cyber-security company owned by Google, said the company expects to see increased activity by scammers this year.