As India accelerates its digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is being woven into the fabric of healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance. The promise is dazzling: a smarter, more efficient, and globally competitive India. Yet, beneath this glittering surface lies a growing shadow.

Indeed, AI has already begun proving its worth in conservation efforts. Conservation organizations like Voices for Asian Elephants, are harnessing AI-powered EleSense technology to help prevent endangered elephants from being struck down on India’s deadly train tracks—using real-time data to detect elephant presence and alert authorities. Tools like these demonstrate AI’s enormous potential for preserving biodiversity and supporting human-wildlife coexistence.

But even as we marvel at such applications, we must confront the darker underbelly of this revolution. Because AI is no longer just a tool; it is becoming a force that shapes how we think, feel, and even trust each other. And in a country as vast, diverse, and vulnerable as India, the risks are not only real—they are urgent.

Voice Cloning and Deepfakes: A New Face of Fraud

India has witnessed a surge in AI-driven frauds, particularly through voice cloning and deepfake technology. In recent months, reports have emerged of cybercriminals using AI to mimic voices of CEOs, relatives, or government officials to deceive people into transferring money. For instance, two individuals in Bengaluru were scammed out of nearly ₹95 lakh through deepfake videos impersonating business leaders N. R. Narayana Murthy and Mukesh Ambani.

Voice, once considered an intimate marker of identity........

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