Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed concern at the misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfakes, after a video purportedly showing him doing the Garba began to be shared by supporters and critics alike.

“I saw a video in which I was playing Garba, thanks to deepfake! The way deepfakes are spreading in the era of artificial intelligence is a big crisis! Notably, this quickly ignites dissatisfaction in society!” Modi told journalists at the BJP’s Diwali Milan.

Deepfakes represent the manipulation of facial appearance through artificial intelligence to portray false imagery, usually for malicious purposes and to spread fake news.

The Prime Minister said a large segment of Indian society lacks the wherewithal to verify what reaches it through social media, and urged journalists to generate awareness about deepfakes to address a looming crisis.

Modi said many people take deepfakes to be true because they come via social media, which enjoys legitimacy because of its association with the media.

The Prime Minister referred to his meeting with Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT – the free-to-use AI system – in Delhi earlier this year and said he had suggested that deepfakes carry a statutory warning like cigarette packets.

Modi had earlier on Friday brought up the need for the responsible use of technology in the age of artificial intelligence while addressing the inaugural session of the Voice of Global South Summit, too, indicating the government was seriously worried about deepfakes in an election year.

Last week, a viral deepfake video of actor Rashmika Mandanna had sparked concern about the misuse of easy-to-use tools, available even on smartphones, to create mischievous and offensive images.

The same day, a deepfake picture of Katrina Kaif too surfaced, showing how particularly vulnerable public figures are. The latest to be targeted through a manipulated video is Kajol.

The Kajol video appears to have begun circulating on Thursday, well over a week after the Union IT ministry issued an advisory to social media platforms underlining the legal provisions that cover such deepfakes, including the penalties their creation and circulation could attract.