'My identity has been weaponised': Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir moves Delhi high court over AI deepfakes

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has moved to Delhi high court with a civil suit seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights, citing misuse of his identity through AI-generated deepfakes, impersonation and unauthorised commercial use.According to a statement, Gambhir’s legal team noticed a sharp rise in fake digital content involving him since late 2025 across platforms such as Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook.The content allegedly used artificial intelligence tools, including face-swapping and voice cloning, to create realistic videos falsely showing Gambhir making statements he never made. These included a fake “resignation announcement” video that received over 29 lakh views and another clip suggesting comments on senior cricketers’ World Cup participation, which drew over 17 lakh views.

The suit also flags unauthorised sale of merchandise, including posters carrying his name and image, on e-commerce platforms without consent.The case has been filed against 16 parties, including social media accounts, platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart, intermediaries like Meta Platforms Inc., X Corp. and Google LLC, as well as government bodies including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications.

The plea invokes provisions under the Copyright Act 1957, Trade Marks Act 1999 and Commercial Courts Act 2015. It also refers to earlier rulings of the Delhi High Court, including cases involving Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor and Sunil Gavaskar, which recognised personality rights as legally enforceable, including in cases involving AI misuse.Gambhir has sought damages of Rs 2.5 crore along with a permanent injunction, removal of infringing content and disclosure of accounts."My identity -- my name, my face, my voice -- has been weaponised by anonymous accounts to spread misinformation and generate revenue at my expense. This is not a matter of personal hurt; it is a matter of law, dignity, and the protection every public figure deserves in the age of artificial intelligence," Gautam Gambhir said.The plea seeks a permanent injunction to stop all defendants from using or exploiting Gambhir’s name, image, voice or identity — including through AI, deepfakes, morphing and face-swapping — without his written consent. It also includes an urgent application for an ex-parte interim order under Order XXXIX, Rules 1 and 2 of the CPC, seeking immediate removal of the disputed content and a halt on any further circulation until the case is finally decided.