Google Chrome Introduces AI-Powered Scam Detection Feature

Google Chrome just rolled out a huge AI upgrade to help protect you from scams

The new feature automatically searches sites for you to warn about potential threats Earlier this month, Google released new some details about its use of AI to block spam and dangerous messages from reaching your email. Now though, it looks like this same technology could be coming to Google Chrome too. As reported by BleepingComputer, a new "Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection" Chrome feature was spotted by Leopeva64 on X. Just like with Gmail's recent upgrade, this feature uses a Large Language Model to analyze potential threats. In this case though, it's not emails that are being analyzed but web pages on your devices, and the feature searches through brands and the intent of the pages you see when navigating across different sites. This new AI feature is believed to power a scam detection service which understands the associated brand and purpose of each page you visit online. This will help make it even easier to identify sites that could potentially be fraudulent in nature. Though Google hasn't share any specific details yet on how this feature works or how to turn it on, you will be able to use it on Mac, Windows and Linux once it rolls out next year. This new tool is currently being tested in Chrome Canary and it could be related to Google's existing Enhanced Protection feature which has been using AI to provide real time protection against dangerous sites, downloads and extensions since November of this year.

Google Is Working on AI-Powered Scam Detection for Chrome

Scams are everywhere right now. It's never been more important to stay vigilant, whether you're checking your email, browsing the web, or answering a phone call. But it's not all on you: As it happens, Google might be using artificial intelligence to help prevent you from being a victim of an scam -- at least while using Chrome. As spotted by researcher Leopeva64, Google appears to be testing a new scam detection feature in Chrome. Of course, it's 2024, so that means the feature uses AI. The feature's name, "Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection," doesn't alert you to that fact, but you see it in the description: "Enables on devices LLM output on pages to inquire for brand and intent of the page." LLM stands for large language model, which powers many of the AI-generated programs and services you use, and it appears the feature uses that AI model to look out for sites that appear to be scammy. To further clarify the feature's intent, Leopeva described it to Gemini, which broke down the feature's explanation and distilled it into the following: Based on the bot's analysis, the feature runs an LLM on your device to look for two things: misrepresentation of brands, such as when scammers copy real brands to trick you into accessing their sites; and suspicious intent, which looks for key signs of scams and phishing attempts. You always need to take AI-generated answers with a grain of salt, but, to my eye, that seems like an apt interpretation. This option is live in the latest version of Chrome Canary, the version of Chrome that Google uses to test new flags (experimental features) on. It's not clear if it works yet, but you can enable it. First, launch Chrome Canary, then head to chrome://flags. From here, search for "client-side-detection-brand-and-page-intent" (without the quotes, of course), then click the "Default" drop-down menu and choose "Enabled." Click "Relaunch," and you're set. Chrome isn't the only browser getting in on AI scam prevention. Last week, Leopeva64 spotted a similar feature in Microsoft Edge, a "scareware blocker." Unlike Google's more cryptic description, this one quite literally says "Allow Microsoft to use AI to detect potential tech scams."

Google Chrome uses AI to analyze pages in new scam detection feature

Google is using artificial intelligence to power a new Chrome scam protection feature that analyzes brands and the intent of pages as you browse the web. As spotted by Leo on X, a new flag in Chrome Canary enables a feature called "Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection" that uses an LLM, or Large Language Model. to analyze web pages on your device. "Enables on device LLM output on pages to inquire for brand and intent of the page," reads the Google Chrome flag's description. This feature is believed to help the scam detection service detect the brand and purpose (intent) of a webpage, making it easier to identify potential scams. It works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It's unclear how the feature works, but it could issue warnings when you visit an obvious scam website. For example, if you visit a fake Microsoft tech support page claiming your computer is infected and urging you to call a number, Chrome's AI could analyze the promoted brand or language used on the page. If it detects scam tactics like fake urgency or suspicious domains, it could display a warning alerting you to avoid interacting with the page or sharing personal information. This new tool is being tested in Chrome Canary and could be related to Chrome's built-in Enhanced Protection feature, which now also uses artificial intelligence. Google says the updated Enhanced Protection feature uses AI to provide real-time protection against dangerous sites, downloads, and extensions. Before October, Enhanced Protection didn't use AI. It was described as "proactive protection," but it has since been updated to "AI-powered protection." Google is likely using pre-trained data to understand web content and warn users about scams or dangerous sites. The company is still testing these AI-powered security and privacy features in Chrome, and it's unclear when more details will be shared.

Google says new scam protection feature in Chrome uses AI

Google is planning to use "AI" in Chrome to detect scams when you browse random web pages. As spotted by Leo on X, a new flag in Chrome Canary enables a feature that uses AI (called "LLM," or Large Language Model) to analyze web pages on your device. This feature helps you detect the brand and purpose (intent) of a webpage, making it easier to identify potential scams. It works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It's unclear how the feature works, but it could possibly issue warnings when you visit an obvious scam website. For example, if you visit a fake Microsoft tech support page claiming your computer is infected and urging you to call a number, Chrome's AI could analyze the language, detect the scam tactics like fake urgency or suspicious domains, and display a warning alerting you to avoid interacting with the page or sharing personal information. This new tool is being tested in Chrome Canary and could be related to Chrome's built-in Enhanced Protection feature, which now also uses AI. As previously reported by BleepingComputer, Google recently updated its Enhanced Protection feature in Chrome to include AI. Google says the updated Enhanced Protection feature uses AI to provide real-time protection against dangerous sites, downloads, and extensions. Before October, Enhanced Protection didn't use AI. It was described as "proactive protection," but it has since been updated to "AI-powered protection." Google is likely using pre-trained data to understand web content and warn users about scams or dangerous sites. The company is still testing these AI-powered security and privacy features in Chrome. It's not clear when more details will be shared.

Google's new AI feature for Chrome will sniff out scammy sites

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What's new? Google is rolling out an AI-powered system for its browser designed to sniff out scams and shady operations. The feature, dubbed Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection, debuted in the latest Canary builds of Chrome. Chrome's new scam detection employs an on-device language model to scrutinize web pages on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The localized approach is essential because it helps Google avoid the potential privacy pitfalls of uploading your browsing data to the cloud. Your credentials and online activities should remain safely on your device instead of getting beamed up to Google's servers for processing. Bolstering web security has always been challenging, but it's grown even more critical due to an explosion in cyber incidents. Microsoft's recent Digital Defense Report stated that over 600 million cybercriminal and nation-state attacks occur daily, targeting individuals, businesses, and governments alike. Chrome's new feature bears some similarity to a "scareware blocker" Microsoft recently introduced for its Edge browser. Edge's tool utilizes AI to identify cyber scams and other malicious sites, just like Chrome's. However, Microsoft's version is opt-in, requiring users to enable it in their settings manually. Microsoft is reeling with cybersecurity debacles. The Russian Nobelium hacking group managed to gain access to the company's corporate account for a month and exfiltrated executive email accounts. In light of the incident, CEO Satya Nadella underscored security as the company's "number one priority" last quarter. Chrome's version will be on by default when it rolls out. However, you'll need to download the latest Canary release and toggle the "Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection" flag. Just navigate to chrome://flags, find that option, and enable it. Earlier this year, Chrome gained a similar security-bolstering feature that threw a full-page "download warning" for risky downloads. It offers multiple options to bypass the warning, with one asking the user why they wish to do so. Meanwhile, this new AI scam-busting upgrade follows another AI-driven Chrome feature Google rolled out last month called "Store reviews." It aggregates and summarizes independent retailer ratings from sites like Trustpilot to give users the full scoop before they purchase something.

Google Chrome is testing a new AI tool that scans for scams to help save you from online trickery

The world's most popular browser, Google Chrome, is experimenting with a new AI-powered tool designed to help you avoid online scams. The feature is currently being tested and apparently uses AI tech, specifically a Large Language Model (LLM) on the device, to analyze web pages and determine if they seem suspicious or scam-related. This development was spotted by Leopeva64 on X, who regularly highlights web browser features which are being tested. What they actually discovered was a flag that can be enabled called 'Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection,' which is present in the latest version of Chrome's experimental browser, Canary. The new flag leverages an on-device LLM to investigate the content of any given web page and figure out what it's trying to do, and whether that content falls in line with the website's supposed purpose or brand. This is explained in the flag's description, which reads: "Enables on-device LLM (large language model) output on pages to inquire for brand and intent of the page." One key detail about this process is that it uses an on-device LLM, which means that the analysis of web pages happens on your device (as opposed to in the cloud somewhere, which would involve sending your browsing data to a third-party). In short, this means your data will stay private. To try this feature out, you would have to install the latest Google Chrome Canary release, which is not something I'd generally recommend, unless you're really keen (if so, you can follow Neowin's advice on how to enable the new flag). This is the latest in a series of AI-powered tools coming to Chrome, which also includes a 'Store reviews' feature that's currently in testing. This capability uses AI to summarize reviews from platforms like Trustpilot or ScamAdvisor, helping users quickly check if an online store is reliable. As ever, we don't know if features in testing will make it through to release, but it's likely these will - Google is keen on building out AI powers for its browser, and I expect we'll see this scam warning system rolled out before too long. Unless the Google Chrome team finds some good reasons to go back to the drawing board. Even though Chrome is the dominant web browser by a long way, Google shouldn't rest on its laurels, and I think it's very savvy of the company to keep improving its browser to stay in pole position. And with scammers and hostile actors now having AI-powered tools at their disposal, it's good to see Google (hopefully) bringing LLMs in to help defend Chrome users from the unwanted attention of these nefarious types.

Chrome may be deploying a new tool to combat scammers

Microsoft recently introduced a similar system for its Edge browser. As online scams evolve and become more sophisticated, big businesses continue to develop new scam detection methods. Google has already rolled out a new AI-powered scam detection system to its Pixel phones, and there are now indications that it is exploring the use of AI to tackle this issue in its Chrome browser. A new Chrome flag in Canary, an experimental version of Chrome, was highlighted by X user Leopeva64. The flag suggests that the browser will use AI to analyze the content and intent of websites in an attempt to detect fraudulent activity. This follows Microsoft's recent introduction of a 'scareware blocker' for its Edge browser to detect scams using machine learning. The Chrome feature, labeled 'Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection,' purports to use a large language model (LLM) to assess the branding and purpose of web pages. It aims to identify suspicious sites that may mimic legitimate brands or attempt to steal personal information. By running the analysis locally on devices, the feature avoids privacy concerns associated with cloud-based solutions. Canary is a testing version of Google Chrome that lets developers and tech enthusiasts try out experimental features before they're released to the public. These features are accessed through flags, which are hidden settings for enabling tools that are still under development. This AI-driven scam detection is still in the experimental phase, and there's no guarantee it will make it to the stable version of Chrome. However, if rolled out widely, it could be a useful tool for enhancing security for everyday users.

Chrome is getting a new AI-powered scam detection tool - Phandroid

There are many websites out there that look legitimate at a glance. But hackers have gotten smarter and creative over the years, creating websites that look legit but are actually scams and attempts to steal your information. Luckily, if you're a Chrome user, the browser could be getting an AI-powered scam detection tool in a future update. This is according to a post on X by @Leopeva64 who discovered a new flag in Chrome Canary that suggests that scam detection is coming to the browser. The flag's description mentions the use of Large Language Models where it will "inquire for brand and intent" of the website you are viewing. This could be much better than relying on blacklists. The problem with these lists is that websites can easily move to a new address. The lists, if not properly maintained, could also eventually become outdated and useless. AI helps with that as it can analyze in real-time the possibility of a website being a scam. This is not the first time Google is employing AI to combat scams. Earlier this year, Google used its Gemini Nano AI technology to help detect scam calls. The AI will listen in on your conversation and attempt to detect if the caller might be trying to pull a fast one. In a way, this Chrome AI scam detection tool is similar, except that it's for websites. It is unclear when Google plans to roll out this new feature. It is currently part of Chrome Canary, which is essentially a beta version of Chrome, so hopefully we can look forward to its release soon.

Google is trying out a new AI scam detector in Chrome Canary

I went a week without an adblocker to stop being such a hypocrite Summary Google is developing an AI-powered tool for Chrome to detect and block advanced online scams. This feature is similar to Microsoft's AI-powered scareware blocker in Edge to combat phishing and fraud. The new feature utilizes on-device AI to analyze websites, safeguarding users' credentials from cyber threats and scams. ✕ Remove Ads Cybercriminals are undeniably getting crafty, using search engines like Google to push fake websites that steal personal and financial information. To fight back, Google appears to be brewing up an AI-powered tool for Chrome to shield users from advanced scams and online fraud. Related Google leads the charge against cybercrime with new Global Signal Exchange Building a network of shared signals Posts Reliable tipster Leopeva64 recently spotted an experimental Chrome Canary feature hinting that Google is resorting to AI to analyze website content and flag scams (via Android Authority). This move lines up with Microsoft's rollout of a machine learning-powered "scareware blocker" in Edge to tackle phishing and fraud. ✕ Remove Ads Leopeva64 says the new "Client Side Detection Brand and Intent for Scam Detection" uses an on-device LLM to analyze web pages, checking their branding and intent. This will presumably keep users safe from security threats while ensuring their credentials stay offline and out of Google's AI training. Microsoft Edge already has a similar feature It looks like Google is taking a page from Microsoft's playbook. The tipster spotted a "scareware blocker" in Edge's settings in early December. It also uses AI to catch tech scams but comes switched off, so you'll need to dig into the settings to turn it on. ✕ Remove Ads The latest Chrome discovery comes right after the FBI warned that criminals are using generative AI to pull off bigger and more convincing scams. AI helps them improve everything from images to text, making fake websites look almost identical to real brands. While old-school methods of spotting fraud still work sometimes, AI-generated content is getting so good it's tough to catch, even for the most careful users. By running the analysis directly on user devices, Google hopes to tackle privacy concerns that come with cloud-based solutions. This move fits right in with Google's push to boost online security, like its new feature that warns users about shady shopping sites. While this new AI scam detection feature is still in the experimental stage, it's unclear when (or if) it will make its way into the stable version of Chrome. ✕ Remove Ads