Google uses AI to combat surge in AI-driven scams and spam

Artificial intelligence has become a major enabler for online spammers and scammers, but tech giant Google is increasingly using the same technology to counter the threat.From fake advertisements promoting miracle herbal cures to AI-generated videos using celebrity-like voices, users are frequently exposed to sophisticated spam and scam content online—much of it created with generative AI.Experts say the rise of accessible AI tools has worsened a long-standing internet problem. “It’s not that this is a new problem. It is an old problem, supercharged,” said Nate Elliott, principal analyst at Emarketer, adding that AI has dramatically increased both the speed and scale of operations for both legitimate users and criminals.According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, more than 22,000 complaints involving AI-related scams were recorded last year, with losses exceeding $893 million.In its annual ads safety report, Google said its AI systems are playing a key role in tackling the issue. The ...

• 19 Apr 2026