Meet dAIsy, the AI grandma who’s single-handedly turning the tables on scammers—and doing it with all the charm of a sweet old lady who’s just had her third cup of tea. Created by O2, Daisy isn’t here to knit sweaters or bake cookies. No, Daisy is here to talk. And talk. And talk some more. She’s the ultimate scammer repellant, armed with an endless supply of rambling nonsense and a voice so convincing you’d swear she’s about to ask you if you’re eating enough vegetables.
Here’s how she operates: when a scammer calls, Daisy picks up with all the warmth of a loving grandma who just loves to chat. Got a question about her bank account? Oh, you’ll get an answer all right—after she tells you about her nephew’s wedding, her cat’s peculiar eating habits, and why they don’t make tea kettles like they used to. By the time she’s done, the scammer will have aged faster than their victim ever could.
And it works! O2 reports that Daisy has kept some scammers on the phone for an astonishing 40 minutes. That’s nearly an episode of Bake Off spent listening to her passion for knitting scarves for pigeons. One unlucky fraudster reportedly hung up after Daisy gave him some “personal” details—like a bank account number that spelled out “NO-MONEY-FOR-YOU.”
The genius behind Daisy is a custom-trained AI that’s programmed to generate lifelike responses in real time. She hears what the scammer says, cooks up a response with the cunning of a master troll, and speaks back in a voice that would convince anyone she’s about to invite them over for tea and biscuits. It’s like ChatGPT, but if ChatGPT had a fondness for tangents about gardening.
Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud at Virgin Media O2, describes Daisy as a scammer’s worst nightmare. “We’re essentially weaponizing British politeness,” he said, probably while sipping tea and feeling very pleased with himself. Daisy doesn’t just waste scammers’ time—she actively ruins their day. And for the millions of people constantly worried about falling victim to fraud, that’s a win.
If you’re in the UK and get a scammy call, you can report it to 7726 for free, and maybe Daisy will step in to “help.” Just picture the scammer furiously taking notes as Daisy prattles on about how she thinks her account number starts with a 4…or maybe it’s a 7…or was that her library card?
So, here’s to Daisy, the AI grandma we didn’t know we needed. Scammers beware: she’s got all day, a never-ending supply of nonsense, and absolutely no filter.