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A new AI system named Daisy is purpose-built to waste phone scammers’ time
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The telecommunications industry is deploying artificial intelligence in creative new ways to combat phone scammers, with O2’s latest innovation being an AI-powered virtual grandmother designed to waste fraudsters’ time.

The innovation: O2 has developed an AI system named Daisy that mimics an elderly woman and engages phone scammers in lengthy, time-wasting conversations to disrupt their illegal activities.

  • The AI assistant deliberately plays into stereotypes about seniors struggling with technology to keep scammers frustrated and occupied
  • Daisy operates 24/7 through a dedicated phone number that has been strategically placed on scammer “mugs lists” targeting UK consumers
  • The system was trained using real, anonymized scammer conversation data in collaboration with Jim Browning, a prominent YouTube scam investigator

Technical implementation: The artificial intelligence system employs sophisticated conversational abilities to maintain believable interactions with fraudsters.

  • Daisy is specifically programmed to avoid giving out personal information while keeping scammers engaged in circular conversations
  • The system integrates with O2’s existing anti-fraud infrastructure, which includes AI-powered spam detection and network firewalls
  • Unlike consumer AI assistants, Daisy is not available for personal accounts but operates through controlled phone numbers monitored by O2

Market response: Research indicates strong public support for aggressive anti-scammer measures like Daisy.

  • A survey by O2 Virgin Media revealed that 71% of British consumers would welcome opportunities for revenge against scammers who have targeted them or their family members
  • The company has launched a complementary educational website offering fraud prevention advice and scam awareness tips
  • Murray Mackenzie, O2’s Director of Fraud, positions Daisy as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat telecommunications fraud

Strategic implications: While innovative, this approach to scam prevention raises interesting questions about the escalating technological arms race between telecom providers and fraudsters.

  • As AI systems become more sophisticated, scammers may develop countermeasures to detect and avoid artificial conversations
  • The success of this initiative could inspire similar defensive AI deployments across other vulnerable sectors
  • The use of AI to actively waste criminal resources, rather than simply blocking them, represents an aggressive new direction in fraud prevention
Daisy the AI granny is here to answer calls from scammers and waste their time

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