Google’s AI blocked over 39 million suspicious ad accounts in 2024

In 2024, Google blocked 39.2 million accounts on its advertising platform — more than triple the number from the previous year.

The increase is credited to a major anti-fraud initiative, with large language models playing a central role.

AI helped detect fake accounts by identifying patterns such as fraudulent payment information and impersonation attempts. As a result, Google claims it can now block most malicious actors before their ads even go live.

The company upgraded its AI systems more than 50 times and assembled a cross-functional team of over 100 experts — from Ads Safety to DeepMind. Together, they tackled fake ad schemes, including celebrity scam images, and implemented more than 30 new policies for advertisers and publishers.

The results were swift: over 700,000 accounts were banned for violating policies, and user complaints about fake ads dropped by 90%.