Scam Protection: Google integrates local Gemini AI into Chrome browser

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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.

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