Google says its AI systems helped deter Play Store malware in 2025
Google's latest safety report shows a notable drop in malicious app submissions to the Play Store — from 2.36 million blocked in 2024 to 1.75 million in 2025 — suggesting the company's AI-powered screening and stricter developer requirements are actually deterring bad actors before they even try. Banned developer accounts fell by half year-over-year too, reinforcing the trend. The flip side: malicious apps detected outside the Play Store more than doubled, which means attackers aren't giving up — they're just shifting to sideloading and third-party sources where protections are weaker.