Deepfakes and the Crisis of Credibility: AI, Disinformation, and the Public Discourse in India

Abstract

Technological advances have blurred the lines between what is considered to be real and imaginary, natural and synthetic. In the post-truth era, reality itself has seemingly become contested and developments in generative artificial intelligence (AI) have changed both the perceptions of people and their media consumption patterns. The “fake news” ecosystem has created an AI-supported synthetic reality that fuels propaganda and untruths. This article explores the proliferation of “deepfakes” and AI-generated synthetic media in India’s digital space, taking five interrelated themes of political misrepresentation, political rumour, false attribution, manipulation of current affairs, and gendered digital violence. We foreground how AI disinformation impacts the everyday news cycle, politics, and geopolitics in the digital age, typically exploiting audience response and platform logics to amplify reach. The article argues that these AI-generated synthetic deepfakes pose as epistemic disruptions, paving the way for easier deception, and leading to the polarization and humiliation of individuals and communities. The article concludes by drawing attention to critical aspects of the regulatory, technological, and pedagogical response to the emerging crisis of credibility in digital media ecosystems.

Received: 11^th May, 2026; Revised: 13^th July, 2026; Accepted: 17^th September, 2026