‘Looked so real’: How AI is being weaponised against India’s Muslim women
The article examines how generative AI is increasingly being used to target Muslim women in India through coordinated campaigns of online harassment, sexualised deepfakes and disinformation. Researchers warn that AI has dramatically lowered the cost and technical barriers for creating realistic fake images and videos, allowing perpetrators to produce abusive content at scale.
The report centers on the experience of Samreen Ayoub, a freelance model from Indian-administered Kashmir, who discovered an AI-generated video falsely portraying her life. The fabricated video used realistic narration, edited photographs and television-style graphics, falsely identifying people in her life and making defamatory claims, including describing her brother as her “pimp.” Ayoub said the video was convincing enough that even family members could have believed it was authentic.
Researchers say these attacks are part of a broader trend in which AI-generated images depict Muslim women in degrading or sexually explicit scenarios, often alongside inflammatory propaganda. The content is designed to humiliate victims, reinforce anti-Muslim narratives and generate high engagement on social media platforms. Experts describe this phenomenon as the “pornification of politics,” where women’s bodies are weaponised to advance ideological and communal agendas.
The article notes that Muslim women in India have long faced organised online abuse, including incidents such as the “Sulli Deals” and “Bulli Bai” apps, which falsely “auctioned” Muslim women online. Generative AI now enables similar campaigns to become far more convincing and widespread by creating realistic fake photographs and videos with minimal effort.
Experts argue that existing legal frameworks and social media moderation systems have struggled to keep pace with AI-generated abuse. While India is actively participating in international discussions on AI governance, campaigners say stronger legislation, platform accountability and faster removal mechanisms are needed to protect victims from AI-enabled harassment and reputational harm.
The article concludes that generative AI is transforming online hate campaigns by making manipulated content more realistic, accessible and difficult to distinguish from genuine media. Without stronger safeguards, researchers warn that AI will continue to amplify targeted harassment against vulnerable communities and further erode trust in digital information.
