In a landmark move to protect India’s rapidly growing digital population, Google has launched a massive AI-driven safety blueprint—introducing real-time scam detection, cybersecurity tools, and nationwide digital literacy programmes. The tech giant says the future of AI in India must be built on safety first, not as an afterthought.
Speaking ahead of the AI Impact Summit 2026, Evan Kotsovinos, Google’s VP for Privacy, Safety & Security, called safety the “infrastructure of transformational AI” and declared that the next wave of global AI safety innovation will be led from India.
This announcement comes at a critical moment—India is witnessing a spike in digital crimes, including voice cloning scams, fake “digital arrest” calls, and screen-sharing frauds. With scams becoming smarter, Google says the protection must become smarter too.
Real-Time Scam Alerts on Calls
For the first time in India, Android and Pixel devices will get on-device Real-Time Scam Detection. Powered by Gemini Nano AI, the feature:
●Flags suspicious phone call patterns
●Works only on unknown numbers
●Stays off by default
●Does NOT record audio or send data to Google
A small beep indicates the system is active—warning users before scammers can strike.
Financial App Protection
To fight rising screen-sharing scams, Google is testing a new safety layer with apps like:
●Google Pay
●PayTM
●Navi
If a user opens a financial app while screen-sharing with an unknown contact, the phone flashes a bold warning—offering a one-tap option to disconnect immediately.
Already, Google says:
●115 million risky app installs were blocked in India
●1 million+ weekly Google Pay warnings are issued
Cybersecurity Gets an AI Upgrade
Google is rolling out deeper structural protections including:
●Enhanced Phone Number Verification
A secure SIM-based login system to replace vulnerable SMS OTPs.
SynthID Detector
A watermarking tool used by publishers like Jagran, PTI and India Today to identify AI-generated content.
CodeMender
A new AI agent that finds and fixes zero-day vulnerabilities—automatically.
Digital Literacy for Kids, Seniors & First-Time Users
Google’s next mission: education at scale.
LEO Programme
Launching December 2025 to help parents and teachers build safer online spaces for children.
Super Searchers
Trained 17,000 teachers
Trained 10,000 students
Reached 1 million+ citizens
DigiKavach for Seniors
Hands-on fraud awareness across 25 cities, impacting over 1 million senior users.
“Be Scam Ready” Game
A first-of-its-kind interactive learning game that teaches users how to spot scams before falling for them.
India at the Centre of Global AI Safety
Google.org will fund AI safety research across Asia, including:
●$1 million across APAC
●$200,000 to India’s CyberPeace Foundation
Research will focus on protecting children, teens and vulnerable groups through AI-powered safety tools and hackathons.
Google is also working with:
IIT Madras
CeRAI
Reserve Bank of India
to build Hindi AI safety benchmarks and maintain a public list of authorised digital lending apps.
Why India Matters
With 1.4 billion people, dozens of languages and fast digital adoption, Google says India will become the blueprint for AI safety in the Global South.
As online fraud evolves, the message is clear:
Safety isn’t optional anymore—it’s the foundation of India’s AI future.
