Google DeepMind and Singapore Government announce new AI tool to protect citizens against scams

The collaboration delivers an on-device scam detection model that helps protect citizens without compromising privacy.

Scams make up over half of Singapore’s reported crimes, and account for more than S$4 billion in losses since 2019. At the same time, scam tactics have shifted from simple phishing to complex social engineering, whereby attackers manipulate victims with convincing conversations before requesting money. Such scams now account for up to 80% of all losses.

To address this, Google DeepMind and the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) have been working together as part of our National AI Partnership with the Singapore Government. This has allowed us to deliver an on-device scam detection model - optimized to run on typical smartphones in Singapore - to tackle an urgent safety challenge while preserving citizens' privacy.