Google blocks 5.5 billion ads per year
For Google, artificial intelligence is both a curse and a blessing. AI makes it easier to create fraudulent ads. But it also helps to identify and block unwanted content.
Last year, Google blocked or removed more than 5.5 billion advertisements that violated the online company's guidelines or were intended to serve fraudulent purposes. This is according to a Google report on ad security. The blocked content included advertisements for dangerous products or sexual content, but also ads that were dubious or fraudulent, such as those promising miracle cures or quick riches.
Google manager Duncan Lennox, who is responsible for ad security at the search engine operator as Vice President, said: "Google's goal is to identify fraudulent ads and block accounts before they reach the Google platforms, or remove them as soon as they are discovered."
Most important trends in AI
The most important trend in 2023 was the impact of generative artificial intelligence, as seen in chatbots such as Google Gemini. This new technology has triggered relevant and significant changes in the digital advertising industry - from performance optimization to image processing. "But there is also no question that the introduction of readily available AI video tools has exacerbated the spread of fraudulent ads with so-called deepfakes," said Lennox.
Deepfakes are photos, videos or audio files that are deliberately altered with the help of artificial intelligence. You see or hear people doing or saying things that they have never actually done or said.
The Google manager emphasized that the AI also helps to identify fraudulent content and enforce Google's guidelines. AI is significantly involved in 90 percent of blocking decisions. If advertisers or publishers believe that the AI has made a mistake, Google teams will check this. In cases where errors are found, these findings are used to further improve the systems.
According to Lennox, Google not only removed 5.5 billion questionable or even fraudulent ads in 2023, but also blocked or removed 12.7 million advertiser accounts, which is almost double the number from the previous year. The company does not disclose the total number of ad placements per year on its own sites or via the Google advertising network. Industry experts estimate that Google's servers deliver an average of around 30 billion ads per day. (SDA/swi)
