Asha Bhosle Wins HC Protection Against AI Voice and Image Misuse

Asha Bhosle, legendary playback singer has secured ad-interim protection of her personality rights, with the Bombay HC restraining AI platforms and marketplaces from cloning her voice or exploiting her likeness without consent.

Bhosle approached the court against AI firm Mayk, Amazon, Flipkart, Google, and an independent artist. Mayk allegedly cloned her voice, Amazon and Flipkart sold merchandise featuring her image, Google hosted AI-generated videos on YouTube, and the artist sold apparel with her likeness.

The HC noted that using AI to replicate a celebrity’s voice without permission violates their personality rights. “Such tools facilitate the unauthorized appropriation and manipulation of a celebrity’s voice, which is a key component of their personal identity and public persona," the HC stated.

The Court ordered all defendants, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Google/YouTube, to remove infringing material, take down unauthorized listings, and surrender copies for destruction.

Platforms must provide subscriber or seller details to Bhosle, as other celebrities, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Arijit Singh, have similar personality rights protected against AI misuse.