Google DeepMind and GovTech Singapore announced an on-device AI scam detection tool built on Google's Gemma models during Singapore International Cyber Week on October 14, 2026. Designed to counter social engineering scams—which drove S$410.6 million in losses in Singapore during the first half of 2026—the system evaluates multi-turn message exchanges in real time without sending user data to cloud servers.
On-device detection system features
- ▪The on-device scam detection system uses a two-stage inference pipeline where a lightweight classifier screens incoming messages before engaging a fine-tuned Gemma 4 model for multi-turn conversational analysis.
- ▪Google DeepMind and Singapore's Government Technology Agency are developing an on-device AI scam detection system using Google's Gemma models to analyze private messaging conversations in real time.
- ▪When the AI scam detection system identifies social engineering manipulation, it triggers a real-time warning on the Android user's device advising them to pause before transferring funds or sharing sensitive information.
- ▪The scam detection tool runs analysis entirely on the smartphone with zero cloud data egress, ensuring message content is never transmitted to Google or government servers.
Model fine-tuning and data privacy
- ▪The Gemma model is fine-tuned on Singapore-specific scam reports, impersonations of local public institutions and banks, and regional fraud schemes.
- ▪Fine-tuning of the Gemma model occurred inside GovTech Singapore's Sovereign Sandbox, a managed Google Cloud environment using anonymized scam reports and synthetic dialogues without personal data.
Partnership background and announcements
- ▪The on-device detection system is the first major engineering deliverable of the National AI Partnership between Google DeepMind and Singapore, announced in May 2026 under the Ministry of Digital Development and Information.
- ▪Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo announced the GovTech and Google DeepMind AI collaboration during Singapore International Cyber Week on October 14, 2026.
Singapore scam losses and statistics
- ▪Singapore lost S$410.6 million (approximately $321 million USD) to scam activity in the first half of 2026, bringing cumulative losses since 2019 to over S$4 billion.
- ▪An estimated 80.8 percent of Singapore scam victims in the first half of 2026 voluntarily transferred funds after being psychologically manipulated through multi-turn social engineering.
- ▪In the first half of 2026, investment fraud caused S$169.8 million in losses in Singapore, while government official impersonation scams accounted for S$90.8 million.
Government scam disruption operations
- ▪GovTech and the Singapore Police Force operate the Scam Analytics and Tactical Intervention System, which scans over 600,000 websites daily and disrupts approximately 20,000 malicious websites monthly.
- ▪In the first half of 2026, the Singapore Police Force disrupted more than 47,500 mobile lines, 37,500 WhatsApp lines, 31,600 online accounts, and 52,200 scam websites.
Google AI cybersecurity initiative
- ▪Google stated that its AI cybersecurity program for Singapore aims to protect essential systems and services from operational disruption and threats through proactive vulnerability patching.
- ▪Google announced it will provide the Singapore government access to advanced AI cybersecurity tools to identify, verify, and patch system vulnerabilities.
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