Renowned Indian poet and playwright Javed Akhtar has reacted strongly to the viral video of an AI-generated image of himself. The video, which has been widely shared on social media, shows a computer-generated image of an 80-year-old man wearing a hat, holding a rosary and a red cloth draped over his shoulders. Akhtar falsely claims that he has “turned to God”.
The video was aired shortly after a televised debate in which Akhtar confronted religious scholar Mufti Shmail Nadvi, founder of the Waheen Foundation, about the existence of God. During the debate, Akhtar came under heavy criticism for not providing clear answers to questions about faith and spirituality.
Akhtar has previously stated on multiple platforms that he does not believe in God and does not believe in any particular religion. He was quick to dismiss the viral AI video as “rubbish” and completely false. He stressed that this misrepresents his beliefs and is aimed at defaming him.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Akhtar wrote:
“There's a fake video out there showing a fake computer-generated photo with a topic on top of my head that claims I ultimately turned to God. It's rubbish. I'm seriously considering reporting this to the cyber police and ultimately bringing those responsible down.”
The incident sparked widespread discussion online. While many users mocked the video, others expressed concern about AI technology being misused to create misleading content. Akhtar stressed that he intends to hold those responsible accountable through legal means.
He also stressed that disseminating AI-generated content about false celebrities can be damaging and seriously impact their credibility. The poet plans to file a formal complaint with the cyber police and file a lawsuit against the people who shared the video.
Experts say this is part of a growing trend of AI technology being used to fabricate images and videos, raising questions about ethics, accountability and protecting one's reputation in the digital age.
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