“The challenge of AI isn’t that it can imitate us, but that it can do so without accountability.” - Gary Marcus, cognitive scientist and AI researcher
The rise of AI impersonations
Artificial intelligence has blurred the boundaries between creativity and identity. In recent months, Indian celebrities have found themselves battling AI-generated clones mimicking their voices, faces, and mannerisms. From Amitabh Bachchan’s fake Kaun Banega Crorepati lottery scams to Anil Kapoor’s imitation injunctions, the legal tide is turning in favor of protecting personal likeness.
Courts take a stand
Courts across India are beginning to recognize the need for urgent intervention. In 2022, Amitabh Bachchan won a sweeping order against the misuse of his identity. Soon after, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff took similar legal steps. These cases highlight how celebrity images, voices, and even gestures are being replicated using AI for commercial and often misleading purposes.
When creativity crosses the line
Lawyers like Dhruv Anand explain that AI impersonations can cause deep emotional distress when they depict celebrities in fabricated or defamatory situations. From deepfake videos showing false relationships to voice clones making derogatory comments, these digital forgeries raise serious questions about the right to privacy and reputation.
The need for consent-based laws
Experts argue that India urgently needs a consent framework to balance creativity and identity protection. Publicity rights are evolving into reputational property rights, and regulations must address the intersection of AI, law, and morality before technological misuse outpaces governance.
A new digital battleground
As AI grows smarter, it is now capable of manufacturing believable imitations in seconds. Celebrities have become the first visible victims, but the implications stretch far beyond fame they touch every citizen whose likeness can be digitally recreated without consent.
Summary
AI-generated impersonations are forcing courts to redefine identity rights. Indian celebrities are leading legal battles to secure control over their digital likeness, voice, and persona, highlighting the urgent need for consent-based AI laws that balance innovation with ethical responsibility.
Food for thought
If AI can replicate a celebrity’s voice or face perfectly, who truly owns the digital version of a human being?
AI concept to learn: Deepfake Technology
Deepfakes use deep learning algorithms to generate highly realistic synthetic media, replacing one person’s face or voice with another’s. While often used for entertainment, they can easily be weaponized for misinformation, identity theft, or defamation without consent.
[The Billion Hopes Research Team shares the latest AI updates for learning and awareness. Various sources are used. All copyrights acknowledged. This is not a professional, financial, personal or medical advice. Please consult domain experts before making decisions. Feedback welcome!]
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