The script, not the voice, is what makes AI voice phishing work

Researchers at Harvard Kennedy School and Meta found that the script, not the voice, is what makes AI voice phishing effective, after testing six commercial voice systems and human callers on 4,100 US adults. The study highlights that social engineering tactics in the script drive success, not the realism of the AI-generated voice.

The call comes in at 4:40 on a Friday. The voice belongs to a senior manager, or sounds close enough, and she needs a password reset before a flight. She is polite, she is in a hurry, and she has the last four of the badge number. Researchers at Harvard Kennedy School, Meta and elsewhere ran a version of that moment past 4,100 US adults, using six commercial voice systems and human callers as a … More https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/07/17/research-ai-voice-phishing/ The post The script, not the voice, is what makes AI voice phishing work https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/07/17/research-ai-voice-phishing/ appeared first on Help Net Security https://www.helpnetsecurity.com .