National award-winning actress Keerthy Suresh has taken a firm stand against the pervasive misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, sharing a personal account of the emotional distress caused by realistic deepfake images circulated online. Speaking at a press interaction during the promotions for her latest feature, Revolver Rita, the actress described her encounters with these altered images as deeply unsettling and “irritating”.
Suresh acknowledged that technology, in essence, is a double-edged sword, stating, “AI is a boon and a bane, I think, because technology is something that we humans invented, but now it feels like it is surpassing us and going somewhere beyond our control”. This sentiment stems from her recent confrontations with fabricated content that is virtually indistinguishable from reality.
The Trauma of Digital Alteration
The actress recounted an incident where she encountered an AI-generated photo of herself online. The image was so convincing that it forced her into a moment of self-doubt. “I would suddenly go and look at [the photo] and think, ‘Did I wear this dress?’” she admitted. She highlighted the frightening fidelity of the technology, noting, “The photos are so real, so original.”
Her concern escalated when she discovered an image from an actual film poojai (inauguration) event had been grossly manipulated. The genuine photo was digitally altered to depict her in a “wrong angle” and a compromising pose. Keerthy shared her shock at the discovery: “When I went and saw it, for a second, I myself wondered, ‘I didn’t even pose like this,’ and then I realized that I was not the one who posted it at all. It is definitely very irritating, sir, to be honest.”
A Call Against Digital Harassment and Negativity
Keerthy Suresh emphasized that such malicious activities, which seem to offer “no gain” to the perpetrators, are not isolated incidents. She pointed out that many actors have recently been victims of AI deepfakes, with numerous complaints being registered across the industry. The emotional toll, she explained, is considerable, describing the situation as “very hurtful” and “haunting”.
The discussion also touched upon the broader issue of online negativity, with the actress revealing her strategy for self-preservation. While acknowledging the inevitable flow of online discourse, she shared that she actively avoids going on platforms like Twitter often. “If I go, sometimes seeing the comments, I feel like, why should we look at it and spoil our mood? So, I follow the maximum [policy] of avoiding negativity,” she stated. However, she stressed that the current phase of AI-driven deepfakes represents an entirely new and alarming threat that far exceeds typical social media trolling, stating, “It is very hurtful… It is still stuck at AI, and it is not changing”.
