Google just revealed its AI security systems blocked 1.75 million malicious apps from reaching the Play Store in 2025, a significant drop from previous years that signals both smarter detection and shifting developer tactics. The disclosure, shared by TechCrunch, marks one of the clearest examples yet of AI delivering measurable consumer protection at scale. For Android's 3 billion users, it's a rare glimpse into the invisible war being fought before apps ever reach their devices.
Google is claiming a major win in the fight against mobile malware, but the numbers tell a more complex story about how AI is reshaping app store security. The company's revelation that it prevented 1.75 million bad apps from going live on Google Play during 2025 comes as the tech industry scrambles to demonstrate real-world AI applications beyond chatbots and image generators.
The decline in blocked apps compared to previous years isn't necessarily cause for celebration. It could mean Google's AI systems have gotten so good at detecting malware that bad actors aren't even bothering to submit suspicious apps anymore. Or it might signal something more concerning - that malicious developers are finding new ways around the gatekeepers entirely, potentially through sideloading or alternative app stores.
Google's approach represents a massive deployment of machine learning models trained to spot everything from financial fraud schemes to spyware disguised as legitimate utilities. These systems analyze app behavior, code patterns, developer histories, and user interaction data in real-time, making split-second decisions about what gets through and what gets flagged. According to the announcement shared with TechCrunch, the AI-powered vetting process now catches threats that would have easily slipped past traditional rule-based security.
