AI may replace people in Southeast Asia’s scam complexes–and that could undercut the drive to stop them

AI may replace people in Southeast Asia’s scam complexes–and that could undercut the drive to stop them

AI-driven automation of labor isn’t just coming for legitimate businesses. Hundreds of thousands of workers—hailing from over 50 countries—are currently trapped within Southeast Asia’s sprawling scam centers, according to estimates by the United Nations.  But humanitarian experts think these workers may soon be replaced by artificial intelligence.  In some scam centers, messages initiating contact between scammers and potential victims are alrea…

As scam syndicates turn to AI, Southeast Asian workers—and crackdown efforts—risk being left behind

Hundreds of thousands of people—teachers, cooks, students, parents—have vanished into Southeast Asia’s maze of scam compounds. Many were lured from more than 50 countries with the promise of real jobs, only to find themselves trapped in guarded complexes run by criminal syndicates. The United Nations calls the situation one of the world’s fastest-growing human trafficking […]