AI Guardian: How Technology Blocked 1.75 Million Harmful Apps in 2025

Google has recently reported a significant decrease in the number of apps violating its policies, thanks to the implementation of AI technology. In 2025, Google blocked 1.75 million apps, down from 2.36 million in 2024. The company attributes this decline to its advanced “AI-powered, multi-layer protections,” which are effectively deterring malicious actors from attempting to publish harmful apps.

To enhance app security, Google now conducts over 10,000 safety checks on each app and performs ongoing reviews post-publication. Leveraging cutting-edge generative AI models enables human reviewers to swiftly identify malicious patterns. Additionally, Google thwarted 160 million spam ratings, averting a 0.5-star rating drop caused by review bombing. Furthermore, the company prevented 255,000 apps from accessing sensitive user data excessively in 2025, marking a significant decrease from the previous year’s 1.3 million.

Meanwhile, Google Play Protect, the Android defense system, detected over 27 million new malicious apps, issuing warnings to users or blocking their execution. The expanded fraud protection of Play Protect now safeguards 2.8 billion Android devices across 185 markets, preventing 266 million risky “side-loading” installation attempts.

Google emphasized its commitment to strengthening the Google Play ecosystem through initiatives like developer verification and pre-review checks. These efforts have significantly reduced avenues for malicious actors to infiltrate the platform. The company plans to continue investing in AI-powered defenses to proactively combat emerging threats and empower Android developers with secure app-building tools.

Google has defended its app store fees by highlighting its investments in app safety. Despite this, the Play store has faced scrutiny from regulators, particularly in Europe, over monopoly concerns. While Google adjusted its fee structure for developers using alternative payment methods, EU regulators have raised compliance issues regarding the Digital Markets Act.