New Delhi — The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is creating new avenues for online harassment in India, with Muslim women increasingly becoming targets of AI-generated sexualised imagery, deepfakes and misinformation campaigns, according to researchers and digital rights advocates.
For 24-year-old freelance model Samreen Ayoub, the impact became personal when she discovered a fabricated video circulating on Instagram. The clip, designed to resemble a television news report, used photographs from her student years at Jamia Millia Islamia University and paired them with an AI-generated voiceover containing false and defamatory claims.
The video falsely portrayed Ayoub as a Muslim woman involved in relationships with Hindu men for money and even misidentified her brother as her “pimp”. Despite being entirely fabricated, the presentation was convincing enough to alarm her.
“It looked so real that anyone watching it, including my family, could have believed it,” Ayoub said.
Researchers say her experience reflects a broader and growing trend in which generative AI is being used to create realistic but false content targeting Muslim women. Victims often face public humiliation, online abuse and threats, while many choose not to speak publicly due to fear, trauma and social stigma.
A recent study by the Washington-based Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH) examined more than 1,300 AI-generated images and videos shared across X, Facebook and Instagram between May 2023 and May 2025. The study found that sexualised portrayals of Muslim women generated the highest levels of engagement, attracting more than 6.7 million interactions across social media platforms.
According to Zenith Khan, a digital research analyst and co-author of the study, advances in generative AI have dramatically lowered the barriers to creating harmful content.
“Generative AI allows people to transform hostile fantasies into highly realistic visual material quickly and at virtually no cost,” Khan said. “Deepfake technologies and image generators require very little technical expertise.”
Online safety organisations are also reporting an increase in such incidents. Meri Trustline, a digital safety helpline operated by the Mumbai-based RATI Foundation, says manipulated images and AI-generated content now account for a growing proportion of complaints received from women.
Since its launch in 2022, the helpline has handled more than 480 cases, with approximately 10 percent involving digitally altered content. Counsellors say the true scale of the problem is likely much larger, as many victims never report their experiences.
“These violations often remain hidden because of shame, fear and trauma,” said counsellor Salman Mujawar. “Many women do not even tell their close family members.”
Researchers note that many AI-generated images follow recurring narratives, often depicting Muslim women in sexualised situations alongside Hindu men. Such content, they argue, reinforces communal stereotypes while portraying Muslim men as violent or morally corrupt and Muslim women as submissive or in need of rescue.
Media anthropologist Sahana Udupa described the phenomenon as part of a broader “pornification of politics,” in which misogyny, humour and digital propaganda intersect to normalise abuse against women and minority communities.
“These practices do not exist in isolation,” Udupa said. “They operate within larger online ecosystems that encourage collective participation and celebration of harassment.”
Experts also draw connections between the current wave of AI-generated abuse and earlier incidents such as the controversial “Sulli Deals” and “Bulli Bai” platforms, which targeted Muslim women by displaying their photographs in mock online auctions. The incidents sparked widespread outrage and criminal investigations in 2021 and 2022.
Researchers warn that AI has significantly amplified the scale of such harassment. New tools can generate convincing manipulated images within seconds and are often available for free online, making abuse easier and more widespread than ever before.
“There is a long history of technology being used to harass women, particularly those from minority communities,” said Eviane Leidig, director of research and outreach at CSOH. “What has changed is the speed, scale and intensity of the harm that AI tools can inflict.”
For many Muslim women who already face sustained online hostility, the emergence of AI-generated content has deepened concerns about privacy, safety and reputation. Rights advocates are now calling for stronger regulations, platform accountability and legal safeguards to address the growing threat.
While political leaders across party lines have condemned the misuse of AI and called for stricter action against perpetrators, researchers argue that meaningful solutions will require both technological regulation and broader efforts to tackle the social prejudices that fuel such abuse.