Wonder why Anil Kapoor is named on TIME's 100 most influential people in AI? We have Delhi HC ruling to thank

Anil Kapoor (PC/ Time Magazine)

Bollywood star Anil Kapoor is the only Indian actor to have earned a spot in the Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Apart from Kapoor, the list of features the name of Hollywood actor Scarlett Johannson. Apart from the two actors, the list primarily includes names of scientists, tech experts and entrepreneurs. So the question arises why has actor Anil Kapoor made it to the list? It looks like we have a recent Delhi High Court ruling in favour of the actor to thank.

Why Anil Kapoor made it to an AI list?

To understand the reason behind this we have to take you back to a case from last year that was posted with the Delhi High Court. A bench hearing the actor's pleas had restrained the misuse of his name, image, voice and attributes of his personality including his popular catchphrase ''jhakaas' for commercial gain. The actor in his plea to the court had alleged unauthorised exploitation of his personality and celebrity rights for commercial use. The order was passed against several websites and platforms.

An important aspect of Anil Kapoor's petition, though, which the Delhi HC, too, has taken note of, is the potential misuse of the actor's likeness via Artificial Intelligence.

"The technological tools that are now freely available make it possible for any illegal and unauthorised user to use, produce or imitate any celebrity's persona, by using tools including Artificial Intelligence. The celebrity enjoys the right of privacy, and does not wish that his or her image, voice, likeness is portrayed in a dark or grim manner, as portrayed on the porn websites. Moreover, the Plaintiff's image is being morphed along with other actresses in videos and images generated in a manner, which are not merely offensive or derogatory to the Plaintiff, but also to such other third party celebrities and actresses," the Delhi HC's interim order on Kapoor's petition states.

Why Scarlett Johansson made it to the list?

Johansson also made it to the list for a reason similar to that of Kapoor. In May last year, the actress was "shocked", "angered," and "in disbelief" after Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI launched an Artificial Intelligence personal assistant voice that was "eerily similar" to her own voice.

Johansson said that nine months ago Altman had approached her proposing that she allow her voice to be licensed for the new ChatGPT voice assistant as he thought it would "comforting to people" who are uneasy with AI technology.

"After much consideration and for personal reasons, I declined the offer," Johansson said in her statement shared with NPR.

The actor said that just two days before the new ChatGPT was unveiled, Altman again reached out to Johansson's team, urging her to reconsider but before she and Altman could connect, the company publicly announced its new product, with a voice that she says appears to have copied her likeness.

"I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference," Johansson said.