25 september 2024 : Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has introduced what it describes as India’s first AI-driven spam detection solution designed to address the problem of spam calls and messages for its customers.
Recently, unsolicited promotional voice calls and messages from unregistered marketers have become quite a nuisance.
Airtel’s new tool will notify customers in real-time about suspected spam calls and SMS messages. This solution is free and will be automatically activated for all Airtel users without the need to submit a service request or download an app.
“Spam has become a significant issue for customers. We have dedicated the past year to find a comprehensive solution,” said Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel.
“Our system has successfully identified 100 million potential spam calls and 3 million spam SMS messages every day. Ensuring our customers’ safety is a top priority,” Vittal added.
Developed internally by Airtel’s data scientists, this AI-powered solution employs a proprietary algorithm to detect and classify calls and messages as “Suspected SPAM.”
Airtel asserts that its system accurately flags these suspected spam communications.
Moreover, the Airtel solution also warns customers about malicious links found in SMS messages. To do this, Airtel has created a centralized database of blacklisted URLs, and every incoming SMS is scanned in real-time by the AI algorithm to alert users against inadvertently clicking on suspicious links.
In a significant move to tackle the rising number of spam calls, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recently mandated that all service providers prohibit voice promotional calls—whether pre-recorded, computer-generated, or otherwise—from unregistered senders or telemarketers.
