The Delhi High Court has issued an ex parte ad interim injunction in favor of Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, preventing various entities, including AI chatbot platforms and online sellers, from unauthorized use of her name, image, voice, and other personal attributes. This decision came in response to a suit filed by Sonakshi Sinha, where the court noted her significant career in the film industry and the misuse of her persona through AI-generated chatbots and misleading merchandise endorsements.
Justice Jyoti Singh, in the interim order, highlighted that multiple chatbots were impersonating Sonakshi Sinha, generating inappropriate and objectionable content, and various defendants were exploiting her likeness without consent for commercial gains. The court emphasized the importance of protecting personality rights and preventing reputational harm caused by such unauthorized use, directing the defendants to cease using her identity for any personal or commercial benefits.
The Delhi High Court acknowledged Sonakshi Sinha’s right to safeguard her name, likeness, and other personality traits, emphasizing that no third party can utilize these attributes without her authorization. The court found merit in Sonakshi Sinha’s plea for interim relief, stating that she would suffer irreparable harm without the injunction. Consequently, the court prohibited the defendants from exploiting her persona through various means like AI technologies and ordered the removal of infringing content within 36 hours.
The case involving Sonakshi Sinha is part of a trend where several prominent personalities, including Sunil Gavaskar, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and various actors and musicians, have sought legal protection against the unauthorized use of their identities and AI-generated imitations.
