AI-generated photos of celebs at Mahakumbh go viral amid growing technology misuse concern

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan pose together in saffron outfits and rudraksha garlands. Wrestlers-turned-actors Dwayne Johnson and John Cena wear dhotis while taking the holy dip. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma dress up as Ram and Sita. These and many more AI-generated, fake photos of Indian and international celebrities at the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela have gone viral amid growing concern over technology misuse and call for discourse. 

Even businessman Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump haven’t been spared in the recent barrage of AI-generated images passed off on social media as photos from the Mahakumbh festival in Prayagraj.

Actor Prakash Raj on Tuesday came down heavily on alleged propaganda-driven circulation of such fake images on social media after an AI-generated photo of him taking a holy dip at the Mahakumbh went viral. 

“Fake news alert. The last resort of bigots and coward army of “Feku Maharaj” is to stoop down and spread fake news.. even during their holy ceremony.. what a shame.. Complaint has been filed against the jokers .. face the consequences,” Prakash wrote on X, sharing the viral image.

Both Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities have raised concern over AI-generated images and videos in the past. In 2023, a deepfake video of actress Rashmika Mandanna went viral, leading to a police complaint against the perpetrator and a reaction from Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan. Rashmika was later appointed the national ambassador for promoting cyber safety.

In 2024, Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. warned against the use of AI for recreation of his iconic Iron-Man character from Marvel movies. He threatened to take legal action against the perpetrators. However, fake photos of Downey Jr. taking the holy dip in saffron attire have also made it to social media recently.

While celebrities continue to grapple with the impact of artificial intelligence on their public image, experts say there is no foolproof way as yet to put a check on circulation of such images on social media. 

“Social media companies have a system in place to flag AI-generated content that is potentially harmful. However, there is no full-fledged mechanism as yet to detect fake images with 100 per cent accuracy,” said Australia-based cyber security professional Prakhar Prasad, who has worked with Meta in the past.

Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, recently said in a statement that they are working on developing tools that will flag AI-generated content — videos, audios and stills. The photos generated using Meta AI carry the label “imagined with AI” on social media platforms owned by Meta, the company said. 

Mahakumbh, the ongoing 45-day festival at Prayagraj in India’s Uttar Pradesh, attracts thousands of devotees from across the world every year.

The Triveni Sangam — confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati — is considered the holiest by Hindus, with a belief that taking a dip in it during Mahakumbh and particularly on special bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya washes away people's sins and provides them 'moksha' or salvation.