Hello subscribers! Thank you to all the readers of ‘s AI Unlocked newsletter who tuned in to our latest conversation about money scams and artificial intelligence. I had a lot of fun interacting with readers and answering more questions live.
If you missed the stream, a full recording is available here so you can watch it at your leisure, and the two previous live streams of the AI Unlocked series are also available. Subscribers can view the first here and the second here.
Katie Drummond, ‘s global editorial director, kicked off our discussion this time by telling us how her father was recently approached by a scammer who tried to trick him with a voice that sounded just like hers. Fortunately, no money was lost during that interaction, but it’s a solid reminder that AI-powered scams are not a future concern, but rather an issue worth considering right now. To protect yourself and your loved ones, you may want to set up a secret passcode that you can use to authenticate each other on calls, in case of emergencies.
We were also joined by Andrew Couts, ‘s senior editor focused on security and investigations. Couts shared his thoughts on the different approaches used by scammers, including how different groups are now using AI-powered tools to fake live videos and trick people out of money. He reminded viewers to pay attention to social engineering methods often used by scammers, such as creating a sense of urgency or encouraging them not to tell anyone about it. You can learn more specifically about AI scam calls here.
During the live event, I talked about my recent research into AI financial advisors and how it reminded me to be skeptical of startups that claim to help with money problems. Instead of using my banking details to help me financially, the AI advisors seemed focused on getting me into high-fee cash advances or high-interest personal loans.
If you would like to contact me with additional, thoughtful questions about using chatbot and generative AI tools in your daily life, my inbox remains open: reece_rogers@ britcommerce. I always enjoy hearing from subscribers, so no question is too basic or specific to ask. Our next live event is scheduled for February, so keep an eye on your inbox for more details soon.