You heard right — Nord VPN has rolled out an AI voice checker to protect you from audio deepfakes on Chrome | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Details
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
You heard right — Nord VPN has rolled out an AI voice checker to protect you from audio deepfakes on Chrome
With the move, the VPN further refines its fraud protection and privacy safeguard services
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
The real-time checker provides immediate scam alerts
Are you feeling a little uneasy about the AI-generated audio deepfakes that are increasingly polluting your online experience and potentially tricking you into a scam?
If the answer is yes and you are worried you might be talking to an online deepfake, being tempted to reveal information only your mum knows, you’ll be glad to know that Nord VPN has you covered.
The best VPN on the market has just integrated a new AI-powered voice detector into its Chrome extension. This means that users can now identify audio deepfakes in real time whenever they browse the web.
Nord VPN’s new tool helps you spot online scams — and it’s free for everyone
Google killed its dark web scanner, but Nord VPN’s upgraded tool is here to fill the void
Google killed its dark web scanner, but Nord VPN’s upgraded tool is here to fill the void
Nord VPN said that the firm currently has no plans to extend the feature to different apps. "But we would consider it if there is a need," a spokesperson told Tech Radar.
With the move, the VPN provider continues to expand its security offerings in its relentless fight against cybercrime, proving anti-scam capabilities are now an essential part of any top VPN service.
AI-generated voice technologies are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to recognise, even to the best-trained human ear.
While it may be shocking to discover that your favourite influencer is actually a synthetic voice, the dangers associated with AI-generated audio go far beyond mere fake content for entertainment purposes.
Scammers are now able to clone voices using just a few seconds of audio recording, using them for identity theft scams, fraudulent calls and spreading misinformation.
"AI-generated voices have become one of the most convincing tools in a scammer’s arsenal, and most people have no reliable way to tell the difference," stressed product director at Nord VPN Domininkas Virbickas.
Developed by Nord VPN and a team of cybersecurity experts at Nord Labs, AI Voice Detector captures the audio stream from an active browser tab and processes it using a neural network model built into the device.
Nord VPN’s Android feature now warns Europeans about scam calls before they answer
Safer Internet Day – How the VPN industry is reacting to the rising risks of AI
'The best way to protect user data is not to collect it in the first place' - top VPN maker reveals Express AI, possibly the most secure and safe AI platform around right now
While the audio continues to play normally for the user, the tool compares the sound to thousands of real and AI-generated audio samples, verifying in real time whether the user is listening to a human or synthetic voice.
If the content is generated by AI, the result is displayed immediately in the form of a red pop-up or a small notification on the web page. A yellow pop-up warns that the content may be a deepfake, whilst a green pop-up indicates that the audio poses a minimal risk.
Installation is a breeze: users can simply enable the feature in the Nord VPN Chrome extension to start audio detection.
AI Voice Detector also analyses audio data directly within the browser. This should ensure that users’ data is not compromised during the process.
Because of that, the tool never records your identity, browser history, cookies, or account details, ensuring that your data is never exposed. Furthermore, as soon as the recording stops or the tabs are closed, all audio buffers are immediately cleared
But above all, the tool does not actually listen to what is being said. It solely examines acoustic patterns, meaning it is technically incapable of understanding, recording, or interpreting the content of any conversation.
It seems that Nord VPN is determined to make 2026 its year of anti-scams innovations. It has so far launched a free tool to detect online scams, rolled out its scam-blocking tool for Android globally, and upgraded its dark web monitoring, all of this while scoring top marks in independent phishing tests.
With so many new features being released, it might well seem that we can't trust anyone or anything. For the time being, at least, your conversations are intact: the next time you are talking on Chrome with your bank manager who wants to discuss your bank account or a friend asking for money, you can continue to sip on your drink and enjoy spring as it comes.
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
Silvia Iacovcich is a tech journalist with over five years of experience in the field, including AI, cybersecurity, and fintech. She has written for various publications focusing on the evolving regulatory landscape of AI, digital behavior, web 3, and blockchain, as well as social media privacy and security regulations.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1 The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra is tipped to ditch its predecessor’s 3x telephoto camera, fueling rumors of an i Phone-style redesign
2'The coming months are critical' — dev confirms Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy's release is 'almost here'
3 Top tech of the month: the best new gadgets we've tested for May 2026
4'Most AI in hiring today is making a bad system worse': Candidates are hitting back at employers using AI interviews - with many prepared to walk out
5'Organizations need to stop workarounds and regain control': Report finds many firms don't know what their workers are sharing with AI tools
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
- Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
- Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards
