Researchers from Abertay University have warned that the increasing realism of artificial intelligence voice technology could be exploited by scammers to carry out targeted fraud by imitating local accents. The study, led by Dr. Neil Kirk from the Division of Psychology and Forensic Sciences, shows that when AI-generated voices mimic regional dialects such as Dundonian Scots, listeners generally struggle to distinguish them from real ones, raising concerns about the risk of localized voice scams.

The study, published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Intelligence, involved creating recordings of six common phrases in Standard Scottish English and Dundonian dialect, which were then processed by AI and played to 200 listeners (including 100 Scots and 100 from southern England). Results showed that Scottish participants correctly identified real voices only 57% of the time, while English participants achieved 52%. Most listeners believed the AI-generated dialect voices "must be real." Dr. Kirk noted: "When AI can accurately reproduce regional accents, the public often underestimates the technological complexity while overestimating their own detection abilities, creating opportunities for phishing and fraud activities."

The research also found that Scottish participants were more likely to mistake AI-generated Dundonian voices for human ones. Dr. Kirk explained: "Scots have less exposure to technology imitating local accents, leading to lower vigilance toward such voices." He recommends raising awareness through public campaigns or online service safety prompts, even if it might increase false positives, as it could effectively reduce victimization risks. Additionally, Dr. Kirk has long focused on the cognitive mechanisms of bidialectalism (such as Scottish English and Dundonian Scots), providing an important perspective for understanding the psychological foundations of dialect-based scams.