Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing many industries, but India is creating a new legal storm. Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Rai Bachchan Sue Google misuse AI videos, the parent company of YouTube. They claim that videos generated by AI using their images and voices will infringe their rights and damage their reputation.
The couple asked the Delhi High Court to remove such videos and stop using them in training the AI models. They say that when these AI videos are uploaded, they not only spread online, but also risk being used to train other AI systems. This makes the problem much bigger and more difficult to control.
India does not have clear laws regarding “moral rights” like some states in the United States. But more celebrities are turning to courts to protect their identity from misuse. In 2023, the Delhi Court banned the misuse of the image, voice and famous catchphrases of actor Anil Kapoor.
Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachan google about AI videos that misuse their identities
Bachchans' legal submissions are performed over 1,500 pages. They accuse YouTube of hosting harmful AI content and want a safeguard to prevent it from spreading. They also seek $450,000 in damages and a permanent block for such videos.
The couple provided hundreds of links as evidence. These include AI videos showing fake romantic and explicit scenes. One clip shows Abhishek being manipulated to kiss the actress. Another portrays actors Salman Khan and Aishwarya at dinner, but Abhishek appears to be upset. Some clips are odd while Khan tries to save him.
YouTube's head of India has recently been called the platform “The New TV of India.” With 600 million users in the country, YouTube is the largest entertainment hub. Its popularity also becomes a breeding ground for content generated by fake AI.
AI love stories on YouTube
One channel, “Ai Bollywood Ishq,” created a Bollywood love story generated by hundreds of AI. It has millions of views. The most popular video shows Aishwarya and Salman Khan together in the pool with over 4 million views. Another shows them in the swing.
Creators openly acknowledge that they use AI tools such as Grok AI and Hailuo AI to create these videos. Reuters testing confirmed that such AI clips can be generated in just a few minutes.
See: UK universities fight deepfake scams in international student interviews
Legal challenges
The court has already ordered 518 videos to be deleted. The judge said the content caused both financial and emotional harm to Bachchan. However, experts believe it is difficult for couples to hold them accountable directly on YouTube.
Legal experts suggest that courts will push YouTube to encourage celebrities to create a faster process for reporting fake content. Still, the lawsuit highlights that the misuse of AI is becoming a serious problem for public figures.
What's next?
The next court hearing is set for January 15th. Until then, Bollywood stars and fans have been watching carefully. This case could set a significant precedent in India regarding how AI-generated content is regulated.
For now, the debate continues. Is AI simply a creative tool for entertainment, or do you cross the line when using real people without consent?
