Actor Sshrey Pareek, who has been part of shows like Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Jhanak, Dil Ki Baatein Dil Hi Jaane and made his Bollywood debut with Oye Chill Maar, believes that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and deepfakes needs to be addressed with stronger legal safeguards. With AI-generated videos becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from real footage, the actor feels that the issue is no longer limited to celebrities but can affect anyone’s personal life and reputation.

Talking about why the conversation around deepfake misuse has become more urgent, Sshrey says, “Its misuse is growing and growing fast. And it’s harming the personal life of people. So it’s really required to have some kind of legality on it.”

The actor also admits that the growing difficulty of believing what one sees online can be worrying, particularly for actors whose images are constantly available in the public domain. “If it’s hard to believe what you’re watching in videos, it is scary and dangerous, I feel. If someone makes a video on me, maybe a political video or any video which does not represent me, it is a thing to worry about,” he says.

Sshrey feels that the consequences of such misuse can go beyond simply clarifying that a video is fake. “Maybe after giving explanations and proving myself right, things can change, but I will be involved in this and it’ll harm my time and mental state. So I’m really worried about what’s going to happen with AI,” he adds.

While AI is often viewed with suspicion because of the risks associated with deepfakes, Sshrey believes that technology itself should not be blamed. According to him, the real concern lies in how people choose to use it. “Technology is not a problem. How people are going to use it is a problem. We need to grow and evolve with the technology, and we have to, whether we accept it or not,” he says.

At the same time, he believes that certain restrictions and legal measures are necessary to prevent people from using AI to harm others. “The only thing I feel should happen with it is some kind of security or restrictions or some legal thing by which it shouldn’t harm in any way,” he says.

Actors have faced image manipulation and their pictures being taken out of context for years. However, Sshrey believes AI-generated videos have added another dimension to the problem. “It’s the same, but the usage is different. Image misuse is misuse in a certain way and is a concern to look upon. AI-generated videos, if used just for entertainment purposes or for content-driven videos, then it’s fine, and there must be permission from the person you’re making a video of,” he explains.

Sshrey also feels that responsibility cannot rest with just one person when an AI-generated video goes viral. The creator, platform and people sharing such content all have a role to play. “They are responsible and must get ready for the consequences. As I said before, we need some kind of protection on it or some kind of legality should be there, so that if someone wants to misuse it, they think twice about it,” he says.

The actor believes audiences have also become more aware of the dangers surrounding deepfakes, although he feels there is still a need for greater caution. “Audiences are aware now for sure. How careful are they, I am not sure. But they are raising their voice and standing against the misuse,” he says.

Sshrey believes people should verify content before reacting to or sharing it, at least until stronger legal safeguards are put in place. “Yes, we need to be careful and verify everything till some legal aspects come for the safety and protection,” he adds.

Despite his concerns, Sshrey does not see AI only as a threat. He believes it can be an extremely useful creative tool while also creating challenges for actors and other professionals in the entertainment industry. “I think it’s both. It can be an amazing creative tool and a threat also. We’ll know with time,” he says.

The actor reveals that he himself has started using AI for several things and finds it helpful. However, he is also conscious of how quickly technology is changing the entertainment industry. “I am personally using AI for so many things now and it is helpful, and it can be a threat also, as actors are getting replaced by AI videos. So many commercials are AI now. Films and TV shows have also started using AI a lot,” he says.

For Sshrey, adapting to the changing technology is ultimately unavoidable. “The point is we need to deal with it, be with it, adopt it, and grow with it. No second option, I guess,” he concludes.