Key Highlights

• Her view: "AI itself isn't the problem. It is a tool. The problem is the intention behind using it."
• Actors at risk: With their faces and voices public, actors can be easily recreated without consent.
• Women most vulnerable: She says fabricated content can be "particularly lethal" for women and girls.
• Shared responsibility: Creators, platforms and audiences all have a role in stopping misuse.
• Her advice: Verify before you share.

Aishwarya Raj Bhakuni, who plays Aradhya in Oh Humnava Tum Dena Saath Mera, believes the debate about AI should focus on people, not technology. "AI itself isn't the problem. It is a tool. The problem is the intention behind using it," she says.

"If someone uses it creatively and responsibly, it can do wonderful things. But if someone uses it to deceive, harass, spread misinformation or damage another person's identity, that's when it becomes dangerous."

Why Actors Feel Exposed

Aishwarya says easy-to-use AI tools have raised the stakes. "Earlier, creating something convincing required technical expertise, but today, almost anyone can use AI tools to create content that looks very real. As an actor, this concerns me because my face, my voice and my work are already available publicly."

She adds that she now thinks twice before believing what she sees online, and has become more careful about what she posts, without letting fear take over.

"Particularly Lethal for Women and Girls"

She is most worried about how manipulated content affects women. "I feel this can be particularly lethal for women and girls because people are very quick to judge what they see online. A lot of people believe that if something is on the internet, it must be true," she says.

Drawing on her work with the Maharashtra government on cybersecurity awareness, she notes how quickly technology is changing, and how hard it is for ordinary people to keep up.

"Consent Has to Matter"

For Aishwarya, the core issue is consent. "As an actor, my face and my voice are a part of my professional identity... Someone shouldn't be able to take it and create a completely false version of me."

She says responsibility is shared. Creators must not use someone's likeness without permission, platforms must act on harmful content, and audiences must stop spreading it. "The moment you forward, repost or share something, you become part of its distribution."

Why It Matters: Everyone Is Now a Distributor

Aishwarya's point about sharing is perhaps the most important. A deepfake causes harm only when it spreads, and it spreads through ordinary people forwarding it. That makes every user a potential gatekeeper, and a few seconds of checking can stop a fake from reaching thousands.

How to Protect Yourself

• Pause before sharing: Ask where the content came from and whether a credible source has verified it.
• Look for signs: Odd lip-syncing, unnatural blinking, mismatched lighting or strange audio can indicate manipulation.
• Report it: Flag harmful content on the platform where you see it.
• Get help: In India, cybercrime can be reported through the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or the cybercrime reporting portal.

AI's Creative Side

As an actor and producer, Aishwarya also sees creative promise in AI for filmmaking and storytelling, as long as boundaries are respected. "I don't see AI as something we should fear. I see it as something we need to learn to use responsibly, while protecting human creativity, identity, consent and dignity," she says.

The Bottom Line

Aishwarya Raj Bhakuni's message is clear: the technology is not going away, so awareness, consent and responsible sharing must keep pace with it.

Key Highlights

• Her view: "AI itself isn't the problem. It is a tool. The problem is the intention behind using it."
• Actors at risk: With their faces and voices public, actors can be easily recreated without consent.
• Women most vulnerable: She says fabricated content can be "particularly lethal" for women and girls.
• Shared responsibility: Creators, platforms and audiences all have a role in stopping misuse.
• Her advice: Verify before you share.

Aishwarya Raj Bhakuni, who plays Aradhya in Oh Humnava Tum Dena Saath Mera, believes the debate about AI should focus on people, not technology. "AI itself isn't the problem. It is a tool. The problem is the intention behind using it," she says.

"If someone uses it creatively and responsibly, it can do wonderful things. But if someone uses it to deceive, harass, spread misinformation or damage another person's identity, that's when it becomes dangerous."

Why Actors Feel Exposed

Aishwarya says easy-to-use AI tools have raised the stakes. "Earlier, creating something convincing required technical expertise, but today, almost anyone can use AI tools to create content that looks very real. As an actor, this concerns me because my face, my voice and my work are already available publicly."

She adds that she now thinks twice before believing what she sees online, and has become more careful about what she posts, without letting fear take over.

"Particularly Lethal for Women and Girls"

She is most worried about how manipulated content affects women. "I feel this can be particularly lethal for women and girls because people are very quick to judge what they see online. A lot of people believe that if something is on the internet, it must be true," she says.

Drawing on her work with the Maharashtra government on cybersecurity awareness, she notes how quickly technology is changing, and how hard it is for ordinary people to keep up.

"Consent Has to Matter"

For Aishwarya, the core issue is consent. "As an actor, my face and my voice are a part of my professional identity... Someone shouldn't be able to take it and create a completely false version of me."

She says responsibility is shared. Creators must not use someone's likeness without permission, platforms must act on harmful content, and audiences must stop spreading it. "The moment you forward, repost or share something, you become part of its distribution."

Why It Matters: Everyone Is Now a Distributor

Aishwarya's point about sharing is perhaps the most important. A deepfake causes harm only when it spreads, and it spreads through ordinary people forwarding it. That makes every user a potential gatekeeper, and a few seconds of checking can stop a fake from reaching thousands.

How to Protect Yourself

• Pause before sharing: Ask where the content came from and whether a credible source has verified it.
• Look for signs: Odd lip-syncing, unnatural blinking, mismatched lighting or strange audio can indicate manipulation.
• Report it: Flag harmful content on the platform where you see it.
• Get help: In India, cybercrime can be reported through the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or the cybercrime reporting portal.

AI's Creative Side

As an actor and producer, Aishwarya also sees creative promise in AI for filmmaking and storytelling, as long as boundaries are respected. "I don't see AI as something we should fear. I see it as something we need to learn to use responsibly, while protecting human creativity, identity, consent and dignity," she says.

The Bottom Line

Aishwarya Raj Bhakuni's message is clear: the technology is not going away, so awareness, consent and responsible sharing must keep pace with it.