AI enables improved detection of businesses attempting to manipulate the system.
In a time when online evaluations can significantly influence a business’s success, the reliability of services like Google Maps has become increasingly essential. Acknowledging the mounting risk posed by fake reviews and misleading business tactics, Google has intensified its initiatives to preserve authenticity—this time leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). At the core of this effort is Gemini, Google’s sophisticated AI model, which is being developed to spot and eradicate phony five-star reviews and various types of digital deceit.
Google has recently announced significant improvements in its capacity to identify businesses attempting to exploit the system. By utilizing Gemini, the organization has detected and eliminated over 240 million reviews violating policies in 2024 alone. Such reviews frequently originate from fraudulent accounts or are bought by businesses to artificially boost their ratings and lure in unsuspecting consumers.
In a remarkable instance, Gemini uncovered a web of more than 10,000 fake listings managed by unscrupulous individuals posing as locksmiths. These fraudsters hijacked unclaimed business profiles to charge exorbitant fees to customers in urgent need of services. This type of manipulation not only confuses consumers but also damages trust in the platform.
Gemini is programmed to spot suspicious trends in business conduct, such as abrupt shifts in business categories. For example, if a listing changes suddenly from a café to a plumbing service overnight, Gemini marks it as possibly fraudulent. This model has already enabled Google to prevent thousands of dubious modifications to Business Profiles this year.
Additionally, Gemini can revisit older reviews to identify new patterns of misuse. This capability allows the AI to re-evaluate a review’s authenticity months after it has been posted, based on updated detection algorithms and contextual insights.
Consumers heavily depend on reviews when deciding where to dine, shop, or seek services. Fake reviews can skew this decision-making process, resulting in disappointing customer experiences and diminishing trust in online platforms. By employing AI to refine its review ecosystem, Google intends to restore faith in the reliability of its listings.
To enhance user protection, Google is now sending in-app notifications to business profiles in the U.S., U.K., and India whenever questionable activity is detected. These notifications inform businesses that counterfeit five-star reviews have been taken down from their profiles, fostering transparency and accountability.
Google is also adopting a strict position towards repeat offenders. Users who repeatedly post fake reviews or violate other policies may temporarily lose their ability to submit reviews. In some instances, Google might even conceal all reviews for a specific business until the matter is resolved.
In 2024 alone, Google has axed 12 million fraudulent Business Profiles and implemented posting restrictions on over 900,000 accounts due to ongoing violations. These initiatives reflect the company’s dedication to upholding a fair and reliable platform for both businesses and consumers.
As AI innovation continues to progress, its importance in preserving digital integrity will only increase. Google’s deployment of Gemini to address fake business reviews exemplifies how AI can be utilized to protect consumers, promote fair competition, and maintain the credibility of online platforms.
While no system can guarantee complete safety, the incorporation of AI into review moderation represents a considerable advancement in the battle against online deceit. For consumers, this translates to more trustworthy information. For legitimate businesses, it levels the competitive landscape. And for Google, it strengthens its status as a reliable source of local business information.
