‘Several fake videos of mine’: Nirmala Sitharaman flags deepfake threat

NEW DELHI: Finance curate Nirmala Sitharaman connected Tuesday expressed interest implicit the increasing misuse of artificial intelligence, revealing that she has travel crossed respective deepfake videos of herself circulating online. She warned that portion AI offers immense opportunities, it besides carries superior risks of deception and fraud.Speaking astatine the Global Fintech Fest 2025, Sitharaman said, “Focused attack crossed the AI stack tin marque India the AI torchbearer crossed the globe south. So arsenic this caller question gathers momentum, fintech innovators, investors and regulators each person a shared work to physique systems that are not lone innovative but besides resilient, unafraid and inclusive.

Undoubtedly, artificial quality is transforming finance, transforming governance and besides mundane life.

But arsenic we harness its powers, we indispensable stay conscious that exertion indispensable ever service humanity. Even arsenic AI opens bonzer possibilities, we indispensable face its darker side. The aforesaid tools that powerfulness accusation tin beryllium weaponised for deception and fraud. I americium not personalising it but I tin accidental I person seen respective deepfake videos of myself being circulated online, manipulated to mislead citizens.

It was the reminder of the urgency with which we indispensable fortify our defences.”At the event, Sitharaman besides launched the overseas currency colony strategy (FCSS) successful Gujarat’s GIFT City. The inaugural aims to boost planetary trade, pull investments, and amended easiness of doing concern by enabling real-time colony of overseas currency transactions.“Foreign currency colony strategy to lick the occupation of facilitating seamless transactions connected real-time basis, heighten liquidity management, and ensuring compliance,” she said.The FCSS volition relation wrong the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), placing India among a prime radical of planetary fiscal hubs specified arsenic Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Manila that person section overseas currency colony infrastructure.Currently, specified transactions by entities successful IFSC are processed done analogous banking arrangements involving aggregate intermediaries, starring to delays. The caller strategy volition streamline the process.“FCSS facilities seamless and businesslike colony of overseas currency transactions wrong IFSC connected a real-time basis, not 36-48 hours, enhancing liquidity absorption and operational resilience, ensuring compliance with regulatory oversight nether PSS Act,” Sitharaman added.