AI tool that sounds like a grandmother created to waste phone scammers’ time

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Phone giant O2 has created an AI tool that sounds like an elderly grandmother and will keep phone scammers on calls and away from the general public. The firm said it had worked with leading scambaiters – people who take on and disrupt scammer networks – to get phone numbers linked to its AI tool, known as Daisy, added to known lists used by scammers to target vulnerable consumers, and had been given the voice of an elderly grandmother to play on scammer biases about older people. open image in gallery O2 said that by tricking fraudsters into thinking they were scamming a real person, Daisy has prevented them from targeting real victims Murray MacKenzie, director of fraud at Virgin Media O2, said: “We’re committed to playing our part in stopping the scammers, investing in everything from firewall technology to block out scam texts to AI-powered spam call detection to keep our customers safe. “With scammers operating full-time call centres specifically to target Brits, we’re urging everyone to remain vigilant and help play their part in stopping fraud by forwarding on dodgy calls and texts to 7726 for free.” The tool has been created as part of Virgin Media O2’s Swerve the Scammers campaign, and has been taking calls in the run-up to International Fraud Awareness Week, which is next week.