AI grandma Daisy battles scammers with surprising results

Two months ago, British telecommunications provider O2 announced Daisy, an AI-powered chatbot designed to waste scammers’ time. O2 is now beginning to share the results of its chatbot in action.

The innovation: Daisy specifically targets phone scammers by keeping them engaged in pointless conversations.

• The AI bot, nicknamed Daisy, presents herself as an elderly grandmother and expertly deploys tactics like searching for glasses, discussing recipes, and reminiscing about the past
• Conversations can last up to 40 minutes, effectively preventing scammers from targeting actual potential victims during this time
• The system was trained on real scam call data, enabling it to recognize and respond appropriately to common fraudulent tactics

Implementation strategy: O2 deployed Daisy by strategically placing fake contact information on websites frequently targeted by scammers.

• When scammers call these planted numbers, they encounter Daisy’s carefully crafted persona
• Some frustrated scammers have even shared Daisy’s number within their call centers, inadvertently multiplying the system’s impact
• In one notable exchange, when a scammer complained that Daisy’s “profession is bothering people,” she responded with characteristic innocence about having a “nice chat”

Technical capabilities: The AI system demonstrates sophisticated conversational abilities that make it difficult for scammers to identify it as non-human.

• Daisy can maintain context-appropriate discussions about everyday topics like baking and technology
• The system successfully deflects scammers’ attempts to obtain personal information or convince targets to download malicious software
• When faced with technical requests, Daisy responds with believable confusion about “newfangled technology”

Future developments: O2’s successful experiment opens possibilities for expanded anti-scam AI deployments.

• Future versions could feature various accents, personalities, and local dialects to increase effectiveness
• While O2 hasn’t announced plans for wider deployment, the proof-of-concept demonstrates AI’s potential in fighting fraud
• The system could be adapted to address different types of scams and fraud attempts

Strategic implications: While Daisy represents an innovative approach to disrupting scam operations, its true value lies in demonstrating how AI can be leveraged to protect vulnerable populations.

• By occupying scammers’ time, the system effectively reduces the number of potential victims they can target
• The approach moves beyond traditional defensive measures like call blocking to actively disrupt fraudulent operations
• The success of this experiment suggests similar systems could become a standard tool in the ongoing fight against phone fraud

Looking ahead: Though Daisy alone won’t eliminate phone scams, this creative application of AI technology marks an important shift from purely defensive measures to active countermeasures against fraudulent operations.