The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence tools is driving a sharp increase in sexually explicit deepfakes targeting women in India, according to a report by El País. The publication documented cases in which AI-generated images, videos and cloned voices have been used to create non-consensual sexual content that victims and experts say is causing significant personal, social and professional harm.
Among those affected is Ruchi Kokcha, whose New Year’s Eve selfie was transformed into AI-generated nude images and widely circulated online without her consent. Speaking to El País in New Delhi, Kokcha described the incident as “digital sexual abuse” and said anonymous users had used Grok, the generative AI assistant developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, to manipulate her photograph. She told the publication that creating sexually explicit images of a person without consent amounts to a violation of basic human rights, regardless of whether the abuse occurs online.
According to El País, Kokcha’s experience reflects a broader trend in India, where generative AI tools are increasingly being used to produce deepfakes, manipulated images, fabricated videos and cloned voices within minutes. Digital policy experts cited by the publication said women have become the primary targets of these abuses. Nikhil Pahwa, founder and editor of MediaNama, told El País that the problem reflects broader societal issues, adding that women are disproportionately targeted not only in India but around the world.
India’s Information Technology Rules and the proposed Digital India Bill would allow authorities to impose fines of up to 500 million rupees on platforms that fail to prevent the spread of harmful content. However, Pahwa said the effectiveness of those measures depends on enforcement.
The issue gained national attention on January 2 when India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to social media platform X, accusing it of allowing Grok to generate and distribute obscene, sexually explicit and derogatory content targeting women and children. The ministry demanded the removal of illegal material. El País reported that X later said it had blocked about 3,500 pieces of content and suspended more than 600 accounts linked to AI-generated sexual images, although the publication noted that the content had already spread widely before moderation measures were implemented.
The report also highlighted earlier incidents illustrating the evolution of online harassment in India. In 2021, a GitHub-hosted application known as Sulli Deals listed Indian women, including journalists, students and activists, for mock online “auctions” intended to humiliate them. A nearly identical platform, Bulli Bai, appeared in early 2022, with arrests following only after sustained public and media pressure. More recently, a 19-minute AI-generated sexually explicit deepfake falsely depicting YouTuber Payal Gaming circulated on Telegram and Facebook, while manipulated images of actor Girija Oak also spread online.
According to El País, Kokcha’s case coincided with a new image generation and editing feature introduced to Grok in December 2025, allowing users to upload and alter photographs. Within days, the feature was reportedly being used to create large volumes of sexualised images of women and minors without their consent. The Center for Countering Digital Hate reported that users generated around three million sexually explicit images using Grok between December 29 and January 8.
The report said xAI has since restricted image generation to paying subscribers and introduced geographic restrictions on creating nude images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal. However, experts interviewed by El País said explicit AI-generated content continues to circulate and warned that existing safeguards remain insufficient. Apar Gupta, founding director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, said a single photograph can now be transformed into convincing manipulated content capable of causing social stigma, workplace consequences and coercion.
The publication also reported growing concern among public officials. Member of Parliament Priyanka Chaturvedi told El País she had formally raised the issue with India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology after the proliferation of AI-generated sexually explicit images of women on social media. While acknowledging government action, she said the pace of AI development is outstripping the speed of law enforcement and argued that increasingly realistic deepfakes require stronger international cooperation, greater accountability from technology companies and faster mechanisms for removing harmful content.
