Sadhguru Moves Court Against AI-Driven Identity Theft

Spiritual influencer Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking protection of his personality rights against unauthorized use of his name and image by various websites employing artificial intelligence.

Sadhguru Seeks Court Protection Against AI Misuse:

During the hearing before the bench of Justice Saurabh Benarjee, it was argued that his identity was being exploited to promote products fraudulently, prompting requests for takedown orders.

"My name is being exploited to sell products--one such example is the book Garbh Yatra (on pregnancy), which features my image on its cover. People are blindly trusting these offerings because of my reputation, making this a clear case of fraud. These entities are leveraging AI to deceive the public," he argued.

Photo Credit: Instagram

The Court To Issue Interim Order Soon:

The counsel representing Google submitted that affected parties must report specific URLs to intermediaries before any action can be taken. After a brief hearing, the bench stated that it would issue an interim order on the matter soon.

In March this year, the Delhi High Court directed the removal of videos and content published by a YouTuber against spiritual leader Sadhguru's Isha Foundation from online platforms.

While issuing the order, the court emphasised that reputation is an essential aspect of an individual's dignity. It also underscored the need to balance freedom of speech and expression with the right to reputation.