Google is adding cloud-based Gemini analysis to Google Messages to spot signs of scams in text conversations. The expanded AI protection is off by default, so users will need to turn it on manually once it reaches their devices.
The Android security announcement covers fraudulent messages, fake calls and abuse involving call forwarding. Rollout has already begun on compatible devices, with the expanded protection arriving gradually over the coming weeks.
Google says AI, including voice cloning, has made mobile scams more sophisticated, making it harder for users to spot every suspicious approach. According to the company, existing scam-detection systems in Phone and Messages already identify more than 5 million suspicious calls and text messages each month. The new measures are expected to raise that figure, but that’s a forecast, not a reported result.
The messaging update builds on protection in Messages, Android’s default messaging app. Cloud-based Gemini analysis looks for signs of fraud in text conversations. A separate addition works during voice calls, trying to identify callers with malicious intentions.
Reports from NKI and BleepingComputer also describe how Gemini Nano technology helps detect unfamiliar links in real time. The system also shows clearer notifications before a link is opened.
Even after updating, you may need to wait for the setting to show up before you can enable it.
For the most effective protection, Google also recommends updating to the latest Android version and keeping installed apps current. The company advises independently verifying a caller’s or message sender’s identity, especially if they ask you to take action on an account or provide confidential information, even with scam detection in place.
