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Google deploys new AI tools to combat fraudulent ad traffic
Google has deployed large language models, developed with Google DeepMind, to detect and block fraudulent ad traffic more effectively, cutting deceptive practices by 40% and strengthening protections for advertisers and publishers.
Google confirmed in a 2024 blog post that more than 99% of goo.gl links had seen no activity in the prior month, signaling it was time to move on.
Google says it is turning to some of its most advanced artificial intelligence models to crack down on “invalid traffic” — a broad term for online ad activity that does not come from a real person with genuine interest. The company says the problem not only wastes advertising budgets, but also siphons revenue from publishers and undermines trust in the digital advertising ecosystem.
The tech giant’s Ad Traffic Quality team, working with Google Research and Google DeepMind, has begun deploying large language models to more precisely identify ad placements that generate suspicious activity. The company said these models can analyze app and web content, ad placement patterns and user interactions with greater accuracy than earlier systems.
The result, according to Google, has been a 40 percent reduction in invalid traffic stemming from “deceptive or disruptive ad serving practices.” “This helps advertisers better reach their intended audiences and keeps policy violators off our platforms,” the company said in a blog post announcing the move.
Invalid traffic has long been a scourge of the online advertising industry, which depends on accurate data about who sees an ad and how they respond. The fraud can range from automated bots mimicking user behavior to misleading placement of ads that induce accidental clicks.
Google says it already runs “extensive automated and manual checks” to ensure advertisers are not charged for invalid traffic, even if an ad is served. The new AI-powered defenses, the company argues, strengthen these protections by detecting suspicious patterns earlier and in more contexts.
“These ad traffic quality innovations represent the latest in our two decades of work to defend against evolving threats and uphold the integrity of the digital ad ecosystem,” the blog post said.
The push highlights how online platforms are increasingly relying on generative AI technologies — not just to produce content or improve user experiences, but also as a line of defense in the lucrative and fraud-prone digital advertising market.
SPOTLIGHT
For Puneet Chandok, leadership is as much about the inner journey as it is about external results.
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