When AI Gets Too Real: A Personal Wake-Up Call

Image created using AI

A couple of days back, I was having a typical evening at home. I was doing something around the house while my mom was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through Facebook on her phone. Suddenly, she called me over with genuine surprise in her voice: "Look, this Telugu actor gave birth to twins!"

I was confused. "What?" I asked, moving closer to see what she was talking about.

She showed me a picture that stopped me in my tracks. There was this well-known actor couple, both popular faces in Telugu cinema, proudly holding twin babies. The image looked absolutely perfect—natural lighting, genuine smiles, the kind of tender moment you'd expect from new parents. The only problem? I knew for a fact that this couple hadn't had any children.

But that AI-generated image was so convincingly real that even my mom was fooled for a moment.

This wasn't my first encounter with AI's eerily realistic creations. Recently, I watched the Tamil movie "Indian 2," where scenes featuring actor Vivek—who had sadly passed away years ago—were recreated using AI and face-masking techniques. Watching him on screen again felt surreal. The technology was so advanced that it genuinely looked like he was there, delivering his lines with his characteristic expressions intact.

Then there's the Tamil film "Mark Antony" starring Vishal, where scenes featuring the late glamour actress Silk Smitha were recreated. While initially believed to be AI-generated, it was later revealed that actress Vishnu Priya Gandhi physically recreated the role. However, the initial confusion itself shows how realistic AI recreations have become—many viewers, including myself, assumed it was AI because the technology has reached that level of sophistication.

The audio deepfakes are equally mind-bending. I've lost count of how many times I've come across recordings where it sounds like Prime Minister Narendra Modi is singing random Hindi songs. The voice modulation is so perfect that you'd swear he actually recorded these songs himself. I've even seen ardent fans of the legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam use AI to recreate his voice, making it seem like he sang their favorite songs that he never actually performed.

And it's not just individual content—we've seen countless pictures, teasers, trailers, and movie glimpses created using AI that are completely believable. Fake promotional material for upcoming films, fabricated behind-the-scenes photos, and even entire movie posters featuring actors who were never actually part of those projects. The level of detail and authenticity in these AI-generated materials is so convincing that they often go viral before anyone realizes they're fake.

But it's when AI enters the realm of news and current affairs that things get truly concerning. During recent tensions between India and Pakistan, fake videos flooded social media. I saw clips of Donald Trump supposedly making statements openly supporting India, videos of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar apparently "accepting defeat" in some imaginary conflict, and disturbing footage of Pakistani missiles supposedly destroying key Indian buildings and landmarks.

Just recently, I came across a video claiming to show the aftermath of a real Air India flight incident in Gujarat. While the actual incident did occur, the video circulating online was AI-generated and made to look disturbingly realistic, complete with dramatic angles and fabricated destruction footage that never actually happened. The fake video spread rapidly before being identified as AI-created content.

Here's the thing that really gets to me: I'm someone who embraces AI technology. Like millions of others, I use AI assistance in my daily activities—for writing, creating reference images for my projects, and even for learning new things. I'll be completely honest: I even used AI assistance while writing this very article. AI has become an invaluable tool that enhances creativity and productivity in ways we couldn't have imagined just a few years ago.

The technology itself is remarkable. The ability to generate realistic images, recreate voices, and even bring back deceased actors for one final performance—these are genuinely impressive technological achievements. But witnessing my mom's reaction to that fake baby photo made something click for me.

We're living in a time where the line between real and artificial has become dangerously thin. While people like me, who are somewhat tech-aware, might eventually spot the telltale signs of AI generation, what about those who aren't as familiar with these technologies? What about our parents, grandparents, or anyone who takes visual and audio content at face value?

The implications are staggering. In a world where seeing and hearing are no longer reliable indicators of truth, how do we navigate information? How do we maintain trust in media, in news, in the very evidence of our senses?

I'm not advocating for abandoning AI—that would be both impossible and counterproductive. The technology has too many beneficial applications to ignore. But that moment with my mom served as a stark reminder that we're walking a tightrope. On one side lies incredible creative and practical potential; on the other, a world where truth becomes increasingly difficult to discern.

The responsibility lies with all of us—creators, consumers, and platforms alike. We need better detection tools, clearer labeling of AI-generated content, and most importantly, widespread awareness about these capabilities. Because if my tech-savvy mom can be momentarily fooled by a fake baby photo, imagine what someone with less digital literacy might believe.

AI is undoubtedly one of the most powerful tools humanity has ever created. But like any powerful tool, it demands respect, caution, and wisdom in its application. The question isn't whether we should use AI, but how we can harness its benefits while protecting ourselves from its potential for deception.

That conversation with my mom was a wake-up call I didn't know I needed. Sometimes it takes a simple, human moment to remind us of the very real implications of our digital age.