THE Bombay high court has granted relief to composer-singer Arijit Singh, ruling that the use of AI tools to generate content using a celebrity's voice, image, or other attributes without their consent violates "personality rights."
The court noted that celebrities are especially vulnerable to such unauthorised content generation through AI tools.
In an interim order issued last Friday (26), Justice RI Chagla restrained eight online platforms from using Singh's "personality rights" and directed them to remove all such content, including voice conversion tools that mimic his voice, mannerisms, and other attributes.
The singer had moved the court claiming that these platforms provide AI tools to synthesise artificial sound recordings by mimicking his voice, mannerisms and other attributes.
Arijit Singh has consciously refrained from any kind of brand endorsement or gross commercialisation of his personality traits for the past several years, his lawyer Hiren Kamod said.
The high court agreed that Singh should be given interim relief.
"What shocks the conscience of this court is the manner in which celebrities, particularly performers such as the present plaintiff are vulnerable to being targeted by unauthorised generative AI content," the judge said.
The freedom of speech and expression allows for critique and commentary but does not grant the license to exploit a celebrity's persona for commercial gain, Justice Chagla said.
“Making AI tools available that enable the conversion of any voice into that of a celebrity without his/her permission constitutes a violation of the celebrity's personality rights," it added.
Such tools facilitate “unauthorised appropriation and manipulation” of a celebrity's voice, a key component of their personal identity, Justice Chagla said.
Further, such use of the AI technology also undermines celebrities’ ability to prevent “deceptive uses of their identity,” the HC said.
Such platforms are emboldening internet users to create counterfeit sound recordings and videos, it observed.
Singh has gained immense goodwill and reputation over the course of a very successful career, the judge noted.
"Prima facie, I am of the view that the plaintiff's personality traits including his name, voice, photograph/ caricature, image, likeness, persona and other attributes of his personality are protectable elements of his personality rights," Justice Chagla said.
Advocate Kamod told the court that Arijit Singh hails from a small town and has humble beginnings, and now he is one of the most celebrated singers in the world.
The petition, filed through Legasis Partners, sought protection of his personality rights with regard to his name, voice, signatures, photograph, image, caricature, likeness, persona, and various other attributes of his personality against unauthorised/unlicensed commercial exploitation and misuse.
Several YouTube channels were creating memes and GIFs "causing ridicule, embarrassment and humiliation" and affecting the singer's reputation, it said. (PTI)
The singer jokingly texted Clairo saying, "Let's f**k her up," sparking an online frenzy
Why Charli XCX jokingly declared war on Peppa Pig after one viral comment
Highlights
What started as a playful celebrity game has turned into one of the internet's most unexpected viral moments, with Charli XCX jokingly threatening to "f**k up" Peppa Pig after the beloved cartoon character appeared to dismiss singer Clairo.
The exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians, while turning an unlikely clash between a pop star and a fictional children's character into a trending talking point.
Peppa Pig's viral remark sparked the joke
The playful exchange began during Peppa Pig's appearance in Pitchfork's Over/Under game, where the animated character rated a selection of music artists.
While expressing admiration for acts including PinkPantheress and The Beatles, Peppa responded to Clairo by saying, "I don't know her," a line widely recognised as a reference to Mariah Carey's famous response when asked about Jennifer Lopez.
The remark, accompanied by a knowing glance at the camera, quickly gained traction online.
Charli XCX rushed to Clairo's defence
After seeing the clip, Charli XCX privately messaged Clairo, writing, "Let's f**k her up," alongside a screenshot of the viral post.
Clairo later shared the exchange on social media, prompting thousands of reactions from fans, many of whom responded with pig and bacon-themed jokes.
PinkPantheress, whom Peppa had praised in the original video, also joined the conversation, posting a message supporting Clairo.
As the exchange continued, Clairo responded to the growing attention with humour, replying to posts before eventually telling followers, "ok that's enoughhhhh lolllllllllll."
Some fans joked that the viral moment was the perfect opportunity for the singer to announce new music, though Clairo replied that she did not have anything ready to share.
Her most recent album, Charm, was released in 2024, with its accompanying tour concluding in 2025.
Charli XCX keeps her focus on new music
While the online joke continued to gather momentum, Charli XCX did not publicly add to the exchange.
Instead, the singer has been focusing on promoting her upcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is scheduled for release on July 24.
Although fans speculated that one of the track titles could be a playful nod to the viral exchange, there has been no indication that the album references the light-hearted social media moment.