Aishwarya Rai Triumphs in Landmark Legal Battle Against AI-Generated Fake Content

Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan secured a major legal victory on Thursday as the Delhi High Court ruled against the unauthorized use of her identity, including through Artificial Intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and face-morphing technologies.

Justice Tejas Karia emphasized that misusing Aishwarya’s name, images, or likeness without her consent is not only a financial issue but also an affront to her dignity and reputation. The court noted that such misuse could mislead the public into believing she endorses certain products or services she does not.

The High Court reinforced the concept of “personality rights,” affirming that every individual—especially public figures—has control over how their name, face, and identity are used. Consequently, the court barred multiple parties, known and unknown, from exploiting Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s name, initials ‘ARB’, photos, or any digital likeness for personal or commercial purposes.

The order also applied to existing online content, with Google LLC directed to remove all URLs identified in the case within 72 hours.

Aishwarya approached the court after AI-generated content, including pornographic material, circulated online without her consent, causing emotional distress and reputational harm. The legal move protects her from being wrongly linked to activities or content unrelated to her.

This case highlights growing concerns about the misuse of celebrity identities with the rise of AI and deepfake technology. Recently, her husband, Abhishek Bachchan, also pursued similar legal action to safeguard his identity.