In brief
In a unique approach to tackle phone scams, British telecom company O2 introduces Daisy Harris, an A.I.-generated grandmother, who distracts criminals with engaging chats, ultimately aiming to reduce the incidence of fraud.
Daisy Harris enjoys the chirping of birds outside her window, loves her cat Fluffy, and has a penchant for knitting. However, she is rather puzzled by modern tech, especially the internet. This is the charming persona of an A.I.-generated granny launched by O2, the British telecommunications giant, in a bold move to combat the rising epidemic of phone scams.When scammers strike by calling her number, Daisy takes on the role of a friendly yet confused elderly woman who can seemingly occupy their time indefinitely with casual chit-chat. "Do you like biscuits, Peter?" she might ask, sending the scammer off on a meandering tangent that wastes crucial minutes of their time. Unlike human scambaiters, who turn the tables on fraudsters, Daisy is tireless and can't be worn down — a crucial advantage in the battle against phone scams, which have surged worldwide. Morten Legarth, who was instrumental in Daisy's creation alongside London’s VCCP advertising agency, notes, "These people can’t just talk to thousands of scammers, but there’s a notion that A.I. can."The scale of phone scams is staggering, with reports indicating tens of millions of scam calls made daily. On a global scale, over $1 trillion was stolen last year as unsuspecting victims fell prey to con artists seeking sensitive personal information. While Daisy Harris may not halt scams singlehandedly, her unique approach of keeping fraudsters on the line without achieving anything appears to be a step towards diminishing their reach and impact.
