Bollywood goes after Google over AI videos: Everything we know
What's the story
Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have filed a lawsuit against Google, demanding the removal of AI-generated videos that infringe on their intellectual property rights. The couple is also seeking an order to prevent such videos from being used to train other AI platforms. This move comes as part of a growing trend among Indian celebrities asserting their "personality rights" in court amid concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Legal filings
Bachchans's concern over YouTube's content and policy
The Bachchans have expressed concern over YouTube's content and third-party training policy, which allows users to consent to sharing their videos for training other AI models. They argue that this could lead to the proliferation of misleading or deepfake content online. In their legal filings, they stated, "Such content being used to train AI models has the potential to multiply the instances of use of any infringing content."
Legal action
Couple seeks $4,50,000 in damages
The couple is additionally seeking $4,50,000 in damages from Google and other parties, as well as a permanent injunction to prevent such exploitation. Their lawsuits include hundreds of links and screenshots of YouTube videos that they claim contain "egregious," "sexually explicit," or "fictitious" AI content. The Delhi High Court has already ordered the removal of 518 specific website links and posts cited by the actors in early September, stating these caused financial harm to them.
Policy impact
YouTube's stance on data-sharing policy
YouTube's data-sharing policy allows creators to share their videos for training models of other AI platforms, such as OpenAI, Meta, and xAI. The platform states, "We can't control what a third-party company does" if users opt to share videos for such training. The Bachchans argue that training AI on biased content that misrepresents them and infringes on their rights will cause the models to spread false information.
Industry response
Courts have started siding with Bollywood stars
Indian courts have started siding with Bollywood stars unhappy about generative AI content harming their reputation. In 2023, a Delhi court barred the unauthorized use of Anil Kapoor's image, voice, and signature catchphrase. Eashan Ghosh, chair professor of intellectual property at National Law University Delhi, told Live Mint that actors may struggle to sue YouTube directly, as their issues mainly involve creators and personality rights violations.