Truecaller launches new AI feature to offer better protection against spam calls

Truecaller has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that will automatically block all spam calls, offering better security from spammers and potential fraudsters. The feature, which is only available on the Android app, adds a new “Maximum” level of protection for spam calls. It is being added as a premium feature and will only be available to paid users of the app. Notably, the new feature comes less than a month after Truecaller introduced its AI-powered call recording and transcription feature in India.

Paid subscribers of the Truecaller app can head to Settings > Block to find the new function. Earlier this setting offered two tabs – off and Basic — for users’ choice. When set to offspam callers are identified but not blocked, and c Basic mode, the app automatically blocks calls from numbers that have been widely reported as spammers. There is now a new tab with a label Max. We at Gadgets 360 have been able to confirm the addition of this feature.

By choice Max, the app will automatically block calls from all known spammers. This setting also comes with a warning that it may block calls from some legitimate businesses. In an interaction with TechCrunch Kunal Dua, vice president of Search at Truecaller, explained that the company tested “multiple dozen algorithms” in the different markets it operates in to identify spam numbers and then used its AI systems to implement the feature. The company also added that it has taken feedback from users to make improvements to the feature and will continue to do so.

Although the feature comes with a warning that users may lose some legitimate calls and the company promises to take feedback from users, the company has not disclosed its method of identifying spam calls. Users have the option to report the calls as spam, but it is not certain whether Truecaller uses other methods to self-identify such numbers.

The AI-powered Max spam blocking feature is only available on Truecaller’s Android app, as iOS doesn’t allow caller ID apps to track spam status or block these numbers automatically. However, users will have to subscribe to Truecaller’s Premium plan to access it. In India, paid tiers start at a monthly price of Rs. 75 and an annual cost of Rs. 529.