Google on Tuesday rolled out a new AI tool in Drive for desktop that it says will pause syncing to limit ransomware damage, but it won't stop attacks outright.

The model, which the Chocolate Factory boasts has been "trained on millions of real-world ransomware samples," looks for signs that may indicate ransomware - such as attempts to encrypt or corrupt large numbers of files - and then pauses syncing of affected files, helping prevent wider spread. Drive for desktop is Google's sync app for Windows and macOS that keeps local files in step with cloud storage.

This Drive for desktop tool then sends an email alert or a desktop notification to the Drive user, guiding them to restore their files via "just a few clicks," Googlers Luke Camery and Kristina Behr said in a Tuesday blog.

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