In brief
O2's innovative A.I. granny, Daisy Harris, engages phone scammers in friendly conversations, using her charm to waste their time, as part of a broader strategy to mitigate rampant phone fraud.
The rise of technological scams has prompted innovative responses, and O2, a major British telecommunications company, has unveiled a new ally in the fight against scammers: an A.I.-generated grandmother named Daisy Harris. With a penchant for discussing birds, her cat Fluffy, and her knitting hobby, Daisy might seem like a typical grandma, but she has a singular purpose—keeping phone fraudsters occupied in endless conversations. According to Morten Legarth, a key developer of the A.I., Daisy's ability to communicate tirelessly offers an advantage over human scambaiters, who often carry the burden of needing rest.The alarming skyrocketing of phone scams, with tens of millions of calls made daily, has led to over $1 trillion lost by victims who inadvertently share sensitive information. Unlike traditional tactics, Daisy's unique method aims to stall scammers, potentially redirecting them from more vulnerable targets. While she lacks the authority to stop the scams outright, her friendly inquiries can buy valuable time for others, making her an unexpected hero in the digital age.
