Actress Keerthy Suresh has raised concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence, stating how convincingly real morphed images can appear. During a recent podcast appearance, she also spoke about the emotional toll that comes with seeing one’s likeness distorted online.
While promoting her upcoming film Revolver Rita, the actress discussed the issue at length during a podcast with Sudhir Srinivasan. She said that image manipulation is not new for women in the industry, but AI has taken it to a far more unsettling place.
“If you notice, morphing is something actresses have faced from the beginning. These are all that existed; they were there. But you know what the problem with AI is? It makes it look so real,” Keerthy said.
She recalled a past experience when she came across AI-altered photos of herself, admitting the realism threw her off balance. “You see a picture of yourself, but it’s a completely wrong image. And for a moment, you actually start believing it’s really you. When it happened to me, I went, this is not me….I never posed like this, did I? In that moment, a million thoughts ran through my head.”
Last week, Keerthy had spoken out on the misuse of AI at a press meet, calling it both a “boon and a bane”.
“AI has become a huge issue. It has turned into a boon and a bane. Humans invented technology, but we are losing control. On social media, I get stunned seeing my picture in a suggestive outfit, and I wonder if I ever wore it, as it looked so real,” the actress had said.
She added that even an image from a recent puja event had been tampered with. “Recently, the outfit I wore for a movie puja was altered in a bad way, from a different angle. For a second, I wondered, and then I realised that I hadn't posed in such a way. It is definitely irritating and hurting.”
JK Chandru’s Revolver Rita releases in theatres on 28 November 28. The film also features Radhika Sarathkumar, Sunil, Redin Kingsley, Mime Gopi, Sendrayan and Super Subbarayan in key roles.