Google announces new Gemini backed safety features in India to protect users

In a significant move to enhance user safety, Google has launched a suite of AI-driven features in India designed to shield individuals from online scams. This announcement was made during the AI Impact Summit 2026, where the tech giant emphasized that its goal is to ensure that "AI works harder for the defender than for the attacker." Recognizing the integral role of devices in our digital ecosystem, Google stated, "Our devices are at the heart of our digital lives, making it essential to embed strong protections into the products and services we use every day." One of the standout features is the Scam Detection tool for Pixel phones, powered by the Gemini Nanomodel. This advanced AI analyzes calls in real time, identifying potential scams while ensuring that all processing occurs on-device, without recording any audio or saving call transcripts. Importantly, this feature is opt-in; it is disabled by default, requiring users to enable it within their dialer app settings. The scam detection mechanism will only activate for calls from unknown numbers, providing a beep alert during the call to inform both parties. In collaboration with Google Pay, Navi, and PayTM, Google is also addressing screen-sharing scams. When users engage in screen-sharing with an unknown contact on apps like these, a prominent alert will appear on devices running Android 11 and above. This feature includes a one-tap option to end the call and discontinue screen-sharing, offering an extra layer of protection against fraud. Additionally, Google has introduced the Enhanced Phone Number Verification (ePNV) protocol. This new Android-based security measure replaces traditional SMS OTPs with a secure, SIM-based verification process, significantly enhancing sign-in security. To further assist users, Google is providing early access to its SynthID Detector and API, tools aimed at identifying synthetically generated content. SynthID, Google’s proprietary watermarking technology, helps users determine if content has been created using the company’s AI tools. Users can request early access to SynthID through a Google form, although details regarding a broader rollout remain unclear.