Experts have voiced concerns that the technology could be used for social surveillance, controlling human activity, and even modulating social behavior. While Google assures that the detection would be done on-device, thus preserving user privacy, the potential for misuse of such powerful features is seen as a major threat. The EU's controversial proposal to force platforms to scan private messages by default has further heightened these concerns.
Key takeaways:
- Google demonstrated a feature at its I/O conference that uses AI technology to scan voice calls in real-time for patterns associated with financial scams, a move that has raised privacy and security concerns.
- The technology, powered by Gemini Nano, is expected to be built into a future version of Android OS and could potentially lead to centralized censorship.
- Experts warn that this technology could be used for more than just detecting scams, potentially leading to the detection of activities associated with reproductive care, LGBTQ resources, or tech worker whistleblowing.
- While some welcome the anti-scam feature, there are concerns that the infrastructure could be repurposed for social surveillance, representing a major threat to privacy and basic values and freedoms.