Hare Krishna.
A Bhagavad Gita perspective on deepfakes. Deepfakes are imitations, primarily in the form of videos, but potentially also in audio or images, where celebrities are shown doing things they haven’t done. These are doctored videos where, for example, the head of a celebrity is placed on the body of someone else. In this way, celebrities can be maligned and misrepresented, and people can be misled.

The concern about deepfakes began in the West about four or five years ago, but recently, it has gained more prominence in India. A South Indian actress was subjected to a deepfake, which was done to highlight the dangers of this phenomenon. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed this issue in a speech, mentioning that he, too, had been targeted by attempts to misrepresent his actions through fake media.

As technology advances, especially with AI making astonishing and sometimes alarming leaps, deepfakes are only going to become more common and convincing. While creating deepfakes requires a certain level of technological expertise, the problem is one that will escalate, affecting more people. So, what would be the Bhagavad Gita perspective on this phenomenon? I’ll discuss it in terms of three concepts: vigilance, intelligence, and transcendence.

Vigilance
As this technology becomes more widespread, it is essential for governments and authorities to be vigilant in detecting, refuting, and rejecting such attempts to mislead people. The Bhagavad Gita describes the qualities of rulers, and one of them is daksha—resourcefulness. Kshatriyas are meant to be resourceful, meaning that in this world, problems can come in many unexpected and unimaginable ways. When these problems arise, one must be creative and imaginative in finding solutions.

The Bhagavatam provides an analogy from the Vedic tradition: if someone is pierced by a thorn, another thorn is often used to remove it. In the same way, if technology creates fakes, technology must be developed and enforced to weed out these fakes before they mislead the masses. The government has a responsibility to be proactive in this regard. However, the responsibility cannot be outsourced to the government alone.

Intelligence
Individuals also have a critical role to play. We need to become more intelligent in recognizing such fakes and, at the very least, develop a more critical eye so that we don’t take things at face value. The Bhagavad Gita explains that intelligence is the capacity to see beyond appearances to the essence. It speaks about wise perception, which allows a person to see beyond the bodily differences among people to the essential substance—that is, the soul.

The principle here is that intelligence enables us to look beyond appearances and see the substance of things. Every individual needs to develop more of this intelligence—understanding that things are not always what they seem. Children, for instance, are often carried away by appearances, but maturity comes with the ability to pause and reflect.

The Bhagavad Gita itself strengthens our intelligence through philosophical analysis and reflection, helping us to become more astute in spotting fakes, whether they are created through technology (like deepfakes) or in real life, where someone is trying to mislead others. The responsibility to develop intelligence lies with each one of us. We cannot outsource it to others, especially when mass media can be used to deceive people. It is vital for us as individuals to take responsibility for developing our intelligence.

Transcendence
The Gita explains that at our core, we are spiritual beings transcendent to the world and its illusions and deceptions. While we may or may not be targeted by deepfakes, such deceptions can create insecurity. For example, someone may be tricked into transferring money from their bank account by a fake voice of their relative, or their biometric data might be impersonated, leading to identity theft.

We may or may not face such identity theft, but the Bhagavad Gita assures us that our true identity can never be stolen. At our core, we are spiritual beings, parts of God, and no illusion can change that fundamental reality. Whether we are millionaires or not, even if someone steals our money by faking our signature or biometrics, we remain spiritual beings. Our essential identity, which is transcendental, should be the foundation of our security.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches that deepfakes are not a new phenomenon. The entire world is considered to be the domain of Maya, which means “that which is not” in Sanskrit. The deepest form of illusion is when we misidentify ourselves with our fragile bodies and base our entire sense of identity and self-worth on temporary things like education, wealth, prestige, and extraordinary skills—all of which can come and go.

The Bhagavad Gita’s wisdom reminds us of our core spirituality, which can protect us not just from the deepfakes of the world, but from the deepest illusion of all—the illusion of Maya. By staying grounded in the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, we can avoid being deluded, whether by technological fakes or illusions in other forms. The more we regularly read and reflect on the Bhagavad Gita, the less vulnerable we will be to external illusions.

By cultivating greater vigilance at the level of the government, developing intelligence at the level of the individual, and grounding ourselves in our transcendental core as spiritual beings, we can face life’s challenges and fakes—no matter in what form they come.

Thank you.