Airtel, one of the leading telco providers in Kenya, has launched an AI-powered Spam Alert Service, the first innovation of its kind in Kenya and all of Africa, which will be available to all its subscribers at no cost.
Speaking at the launch of the Airtel AI Spam Alert Service in Nairobi, Airtel Kenya Managing Director Ashish Malhotra highlighted the company’s commitment to innovation and customer safety.
“At Airtel, we are committed to providing innovative solutions that enhance our customer experience.”
The AI spam alert service is the first of its kind in the Kenyan market, and it underscores our dedication to groundbreaking solutions aimed at improving customer satisfaction. With the new AI-powered spam alert, we are empowering our customers to be more vigilant against fraud attempts on their phones and to enjoy a safer, more reliable experience with our services,” he stated.
This unprecedented service, which offers Airtel smartphone and feature phone customers real-time alerts for suspected spam SMS messages, requires no additional application downloads and is automatically activated for all Airtel customers.
Airtel Launches AI-Powered Spam Alert Service
Cabinet Secretary for ICT William Kabogo said that the innovation launched by Airtel is a step forward for digital safety in Kenya.
“The Airtel AI Spam Alert Services, powered by artificial intelligence, will proactively notify subscribers, as we have been told, when suspicious or potentially harmful messages are received. This is the first such AI-driven SMS phone alert system in Africa, and Kenya is proud to be the first country on the continent where it has been deployed,” Kabogo stated.
On his part, Communications Authority of Kenya CEO David Mugonyi said that this innovation will prioritise consumer safety.
“This is a solution that prioritises consumer safety, enhances trust in mobile communication services, and makes life difficult for cybercriminals. Every day, thousands of Kenyans receive unsolicited messages that present a series of risks to their finances, security, and privacy. Kenya is actually ranked third in spam texts globally,” Mugonyi stated.
Also Read: Airtel Launches New Monthly Data Bundle with No Daily Expiry
According to the CA CEO, African countries take up to nine of the top 20 spots in spam.
“Last year, the problem became so pronounced that the authority issued an alert to Kenyans to be cautious while receiving messages. These messages include commercial advertising, phishing attempts, and scams that lead to financial loss or compromise personal information,” Mugonyi added.
With Kenya’s mobile phone penetration on the increase, spam messages have become a widespread issue, targeting an expanding demographic of unsuspecting individuals. Hundreds of thousands of Kenyans often receive unsolicited, nagging promotional SMS or calls.
Further, they also receive duping messages and calls from con artists who have mastered the art of stealing from unsuspecting individuals. In these communications, users are asked to click on links and provide personal information, which could lead to them being defrauded. Currently, customers have to rely on third-party software to flag spam messages.
Features of the AI Tool
The AI feature launched by Airtel provides a solution that classifies suspicious SMS messages as “Suspected SPAM.” Without reading specific SMS messages, the AI analyses in real time over 250 parameters, including the sender’s usage patterns such as SMS frequency and geographical spread of targets.
The Airtel AI Spam Alert Service is designed to filter all SMS through a proprietary dual-layer protection: one layer at the network level and the other at the IT systems level, processing over 18 million messages, each in 2 milliseconds.
Also Read: Airtel Unveils New App for Its Users with Zero Data Usage
Additionally, the software alerts customers of malicious web links received via SMS. For this purpose, a centralized database of blacklisted URLs is maintained, and by scanning every SMS in real time, the AI system can warn users against accidentally clicking on suspicious links.
Subscribers of the Airtel SIM services will access the AI-powered spam alert service as a value-added feature of their subscription at no extra cost.
To report fraud, Airtel customers should dial the USSD code *100# and select option 3, Report Fraud.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
