AI tool that sounds like elderly grandmother created by O2 to waste phone scammers' time

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Mobile operator O2 has created an AI-powered tool that sounds like an elderly grandmother, keeping phone scammers on calls and away from the general public. The telecoms giant said it had created the so-called “scambaiter” tool in response to research which found that seven in 10 people wanted to get their own back on scammers but did not want to waste their own time in doing so.

The firm said it had worked with leading scambaiters – people who take on and disrupt scammer networks – to get phone numbers linked to its AI tool, known as Daisy, added to known lists used by scammers to target vulnerable consumers, and had been given the voice of an elderly grandmother to play on scammer biases about older people.

It said the tool had been successful in keeping numerous scammers on calls for up to 40 minutes at a time and frustrated them with meandering stories and explanations about their tech use, as well as providing false personal information and made-up bank details.

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