Yami Gautam has asked media organisations not to use artificial intelligence to modify or enhance her photographs, stressing that changes to a person’s image or likeness should only be made with their knowledge and consent. The actor’s appeal comes amid growing concern in the entertainment industry over AI-generated and manipulated celebrity content.
The actor, who recently won the National Award for Best Actress, shared her request on X on Sunday. Her comments come at a time when several Indian film personalities have raised concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence to manipulate their photographs, videos and identities.
Yami Gautam Makes a Direct Appeal to the Media
Yami requested media outlets to publish photographs from her public appearances in their original form rather than altering them with AI tools.
“A sincere request to the media. Please refrain from using AI to alter or enhance my photographs from public appearances. Kindly use images in original form,” she wrote.
She further stressed the importance of consent when technology is used to modify someone’s likeness.
“Altering or manipulating an individual’s image or likeness using AI should not be done without their knowledge and consent,” Yami added.
Her statement focuses specifically on photographs used by the media, highlighting a distinction that is becoming increasingly important as generative AI tools make image manipulation easier and more accessible.
AI Manipulation Becomes a Growing Industry Concern
Yami’s appeal comes against the backdrop of increasing debate over the use of artificial intelligence to create or modify celebrity content without permission.
The issue has extended beyond ordinary photo editing, with actors and other public figures increasingly confronting digitally manipulated images and videos that can misrepresent their appearance or identity.
The legal system has also begun addressing concerns surrounding the unauthorised use of celebrity likenesses.
According to the supplied report, the Bombay High Court recently directed major social-media platforms to remove unauthorised and objectionable material targeting actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The reported material included manipulated content and other uses of her name, likeness and identity without consent.
Janhvi Kapoor Deepfake Incident Sparks Fresh Debate
The conversation around AI-generated celebrity content intensified after a manipulated video involving Janhvi Kapoor circulated online.
The clip used material associated with the song Chuttamalle from Devara: Part 1 and digitally altered Janhvi’s likeness. The manipulated content was subsequently removed after circulating across social-media platforms.
Janhvi had earlier spoken out against the circulation of the AI-edited material, describing the situation as deeply violating and emphasising the importance of consent, choice and respect.
Jr NTR, who starred alongside Janhvi in Devara: Part 1, also condemned the circulation of the manipulated video.
The incident highlighted how quickly AI-generated material involving celebrities can spread online, often reaching large audiences before platforms or individuals are able to respond.
Why Yami’s Request Matters
Yami’s statement is narrower in scope but addresses a related issue: the use of AI not only to create deceptive videos but also to alter ordinary photographs of public figures.
Digital image-enhancement technology can be used for a variety of legitimate editorial purposes. However, Yami is making a specific request that media organisations not use AI to alter or enhance her appearance without her knowledge and consent.
Her appeal places the question of consent at the centre of the discussion.
For celebrities, photographs taken at public events are already part of their professional and public lives. Yami is asking that the images published by media organisations remain faithful to the original photographs rather than being digitally modified through AI.
Yami Gautam’s National Award and Upcoming Film
Yami is making the appeal shortly after receiving the National Award for Best Actress, adding another significant milestone to her career.
She is now preparing for the release of Nayyi Navelli, scheduled for October 16.
In the film, Yami plays Mohini, a newly married woman who enters the Awasthi household. What initially appears to be a light-hearted story about adjusting to life in a new family gradually develops into a mystery involving questions about Mohini’s identity and unsettling secrets within the household.
The film features Addinath M. Kothare, Anurag Thakur, Sunita Rajwar, Mita Vasisth, Aaditya Kulshreshth, Susmita Mukherjee and Prateek Pachori in key roles.
A Larger Conversation About Celebrity Consent
Yami’s post adds her voice to an increasingly prominent conversation about how artificial intelligence should be used in entertainment and media.
The technology can transform photographs and create highly convincing synthetic material, but the ease of manipulation also raises questions about consent, authenticity and the control individuals have over their own likeness.
For Yami, the request is straightforward: photographs from her public appearances should be used in their original form, and AI-based alterations should not be made without her knowledge and consent.
As AI-generated celebrity content continues to become more sophisticated, that demand for control over one’s own image is likely to remain an important issue for the film industry.
