The Tireless AI 'Granny' Battling Phone Scams (1/2) AI "Granny" persistence é contrariando telefone escamistas (1/2)
Interpreting English (Sophia) Analysis
Written by Ivy English Analysis
In an effort to combat phone scams, the UK mobile service provider, O2, has introduced Daisy, an AI designed to verbally spar with con artists. Portraying Daisy as a charming, quaint British granny takes advantage of scammers' preference for targeting the elderly. Her voice, resembling a real-life grandmother's, adds an authentic touch to her character.
O2 has listed several dedicated numbers online for scammers to connect with Daisy instead of their actual customers. Upon receiving a call, Daisy converts the scammers' speech into text and reacts accordingly via text-to-speech technology. Remarkably, Daisy has kept numerous scammers talking for over 40 minutes, effectively deterring them from potential victims.
In a fight against scammers, the granny-like AI named Daisy is O2's new weapon. Modelled as a kind, elderly British woman, Daisy capitalizes on the scammers' tendency to prey on the elderly. By using voice technology that mimics a real grandmother's voice, Daisy adds a layer of authenticity to her role in tricking these scammers.
Although not shown in the article, it is worth noting that Daisy's main objective is to waste the scammers' time by dragging out conversations. By doing so, she distracts and delays them, weakening the efficiency of their scams[1][2]. While her direct impact on stopping scams is not yet clear, Daisy's role in distracting scammers and potentially reducing their productivity cannot be overlooked[1][4]. Enhancements to her technology and incorporating her into a broader anti-fraud strategy have the potential to further increase her effectiveness against tech-driven fraud[1].
In essence, Daisy's power lies in her ability to distract and irritate con artists, contributing to a wider need for thorough and integrated solutions to prevent tech-based fraud more effectively.
Key Takeaways:
- How does Daisy exploit the tendency of phone scammers?
Daisy capitalizes on scammers' preference for targeting the elderly by portraying herself as a kind, elderly British woman.
- What impact does Daisy have on phone scammers?
Daisy wastes scammers' time by engaging them in lengthy conversations, thus potentially reducing their productivity and weakening the efficiency of their operations.
Useful Phrases:
- take down sb/take sb down
Block or defeat someone or something; disable someone or something.
The team attempted to take down their biggest rival.
- engage sb in...
Encourage or involve someone in an activity or conversation.
The teacher tried to engage the students in the discussion.
To be continued tomorrow(tomorrow's issue)
Website link
Audio file and explanation:
https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
This article originally appeared in the Ivy English Magazine: www.ivy.com.tw
[1] - Article by Michael Visocchi, "What Can AI Do to Stop Those Annoying Cold Callers?", BBC News, 5 March 2020.
[2] - Article by Ashley Hioco, "Phone Scammers Could Dial the Wrong Number and Get Stuck Talking to a Granny", Stuff, 20 April 2021.
[3] - Article by David Rontell, "How to Get Rid of Cold Callers Pestering You for Money", Mirror, 15 June 2021.
[4] - Article by Megan Cox, "Cold Callers Are More Annoying Than Noise Pollution, Research Finds", Birmingham Mail, 11 May 2021.
Artificial-intelligence, in the form of Daisy, is being deployed by O2 to combat general-news such as phone scams through engaging scammers and keeping them talking for extended periods, exploiting the tendency of these scammers to target elderly individuals. This alleged distractive tactic could potentially decrease the efficiency of their operations in the crime-and-justice domain.
Furthermore, the integration of Daisy into broader anti-fraud strategies has the potential to bolster her effectiveness against technology-driven fraud, contributing to overall solutions that fight tech-based crimes more systematically.
