A new AI system named Daisy is purpose-built to waste phone scammers’ time

The telecommunications industry is deploying artificial intelligence in creative new ways to combat phone scammers, with O2’s latest innovation being an AI-powered virtual grandmother designed to waste fraudsters’ time.

The innovation: O2 has developed an AI system named Daisy that mimics an elderly woman and engages phone scammers in lengthy, time-wasting conversations to disrupt their illegal activities.

• The AI assistant deliberately plays into stereotypes about seniors struggling with technology to keep scammers frustrated and occupied
• Daisy operates 24/7 through a dedicated phone number that has been strategically placed on scammer “mugs lists” targeting UK consumers
• The system was trained using real, anonymized scammer conversation data in collaboration with Jim Browning, a prominent YouTube scam investigator

Technical implementation: The artificial intelligence system employs sophisticated conversational abilities to maintain believable interactions with fraudsters.

• Daisy is specifically programmed to avoid giving out personal information while keeping scammers engaged in circular conversations
• The system integrates with O2’s existing anti-fraud infrastructure, which includes AI-powered spam detection and network firewalls
• Unlike consumer AI assistants, Daisy is not available for personal accounts but operates through controlled phone numbers monitored by O2

Market response: Research indicates strong public support for aggressive anti-scammer measures like Daisy.

• A survey by O2 Virgin Media revealed that 71% of British consumers would welcome opportunities for revenge against scammers who have targeted them or their family members
• The company has launched a complementary educational website offering fraud prevention advice and scam awareness tips
• Murray Mackenzie, O2’s Director of Fraud, positions Daisy as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat telecommunications fraud

Strategic implications: While innovative, this approach to scam prevention raises interesting questions about the escalating technological arms race between telecom providers and fraudsters.

• As AI systems become more sophisticated, scammers may develop countermeasures to detect and avoid artificial conversations
• The success of this initiative could inspire similar defensive AI deployments across other vulnerable sectors
• The use of AI to actively waste criminal resources, rather than simply blocking them, represents an aggressive new direction in fraud prevention