How to protect yourself from AI-powered cold calling?

It's happened to everyone. Your phone rings, the number is unfamiliar, you pick up, and on the other end of the line is a voice that sounds natural: "Hello, you probably want to hang up, but..." In reality, the person you're talking to is none other than a conversational AI, capable of imitating human intonation, adapting its responses according to reactions, accessing personal databases, and even identifying weak points in the conversation. Recently, these AI-driven cold calls have been on the rise, whether it's to lower your electricity bills, take out insurance, or renovate your home. "It's a way to reach many more people, more regularly, and in an automated way," Alexandra Iteanu, a lawyer specializing in intellectual and digital property, observed for Libération .

As proof, according to the latest figures from the National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties, 73% of French people have reported an increase in the number of canvassing attempts since 2023. Among them, 45% say they have spoken to "ultra-sophisticated" automated systems.

To tackle the phenomenon at its roots, the National Assembly