In a landmark ruling that reverberates through the digital entertainment landscape, the Delhi High Court has issued a stringent interim order protecting singer Jubin Nautiyal’s personality rights against unauthorized AI exploitation. The decision, pronounced by Justice Tusshar Rao Gedela, underscores the growing vulnerability of celebrities in the age of generative artificial intelligence.
Jubin Nautiyal, renowned for his soulful melodies and chart-topping hits, approached the court alleging rampant misuse of his voice, likeness, and distinctive singing style by various AI platforms. These platforms, leveraging machine learning algorithms, have been generating synthetic audio clips and visuals that mimic Nautiyal with uncanny realism, potentially misleading millions of fans into believing they are authentic.
The court’s bench observed that Nautiyal’s prima facie case is compelling, given his stature as a prominent artist. ‘Irreparable harm would be caused to his image and reputation if such misuse continues unchecked,’ the order stated, emphasizing the non-compensable damage to personal branding in the public eye.
Nautiyal’s petition detailed how his name, voice modulation, facial expressions, photographs, and even signature are integral to his personality rights. Unauthorized commercial use, including deepfakes, AI voice models, digital avatars, and face-morphing technologies, violates these rights. Online marketplaces have further exacerbated the issue by selling posters, digital artworks, and merchandise falsely endorsed with his image, eroding his credibility.
Responding decisively, the High Court has barred all AI platforms, websites, social media channels, and e-commerce sites from directly or indirectly exploiting Nautiyal’s personality attributes. This prohibition extends to advertisements, domain names, metaverse applications, and any synthetic media. Intermediaries are directed to expeditiously remove infringing content, links, posts, videos, and apps, while disclosing details of offending entities.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecommunications have been impleaded to ensure compliance. All defendants must file replies within 30 days, with the next hearing scheduled before the Joint Registrar on April 28 and final arguments on August 25.
This ruling sets a critical precedent for personality rights in the AI era, signaling courts’ readiness to curb technological overreach that threatens individual identities. As digital platforms evolve, such judicial interventions will likely shape the boundaries of innovation and consent.