AI 'Granny' Daisy: O2's Innovative Approach to Combating Phone Scams

O2 Unveils AI 'Granny' to Combat Phone Scams

British mobile phone company O2, also known as Virgin Media O2, has introduced an innovative solution to tackle the persistent problem of phone scams. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot named Daisy, designed to engage and frustrate scammers by keeping them on the line for extended periods 1

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Meet Daisy: The AI Scam-Buster

Daisy, affectionately referred to as an AI 'granny,' is programmed to engage scammers in lengthy, time-wasting conversations. With a cheerful demeanor, she introduces herself to potential fraudsters with the line, "Hello, scammers. I'm your worst nightmare" 1

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. The AI is capable of adapting to conversations and can even provide fake personal information when requested, making the interaction seem more authentic 2

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How Daisy Works

Daisy utilizes advanced AI technology, including a large language model, to process incoming voice calls. The system translates the fraudster's voice to text, selects an appropriate response from its training database, and converts it back to speech—all within seconds. This allows for natural, flowing conversations that can last up to 40 minutes 2

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Impressive Results and Impact

Since her debut last month, Daisy has answered over 1,000 calls, successfully keeping scammers engaged and away from potential victims. The AI 'granny' has demonstrated her effectiveness by frustrating scammers, with one exclaiming, "It's nearly been an hour!" 2

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Collaboration with Anti-Scam Experts

O2 developed Daisy with the assistance of Jim Browning, a YouTuber and software engineer known for exposing scammers to his 4.4 million subscribers. This collaboration ensured that the AI was trained with real-world knowledge of scammer tactics 1

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Raising Awareness and Protecting Customers

Murray Mackenzie, O2's Director of Fraud, emphasized that Daisy serves a dual purpose: protecting customers and raising awareness about phone scams. He stated, "Daisy is also a reminder that no matter how persuasive someone on the other end of the phone may be, they aren't always who you think they are" 1

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The Broader Context of Phone Scams

While Daisy represents an innovative approach to combating phone scams in the UK, the problem remains significant globally. In the United States, for example, Americans spent 272 million hours answering spam calls between December 2023 and November 2024, with each person receiving an average of nine spam calls per month 2

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As AI technology continues to evolve, solutions like Daisy may become more common in the fight against phone scams, potentially revolutionizing how telecommunications companies protect their customers from fraud.