Use of AI to target minorities in India, says watchdog report
New Delhi: A joint report, released days before the India AI Impact Summit 2026 (Feb 16-20), has raised serious concerns over the political and social use of artificial intelligence in India, with particular reference to its impact on Muslim communities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the report, “India AI Impact Summit 2026: AI Governance at the Age of Democratic Backsliding,” was published by the Internet Freedom Foundation and the Centre for the Study of Organised Hate. It claims that generative AI tools are being used to spread anti-minority narratives, strengthen surveillance systems and influence the electoral process, while transparency and regulation remain weak.
The report said that creative AI is being used by political actors to deepen social divisions and target minorities, especially Muslims.
It cites an example from Assam where the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party shared an AI-generated video on its official social media account. It showed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma shooting two Muslim men. The clip was captioned “No Mercy”.
The authors of the report described the video as “inflammatory content that can pose a serious threat to social harmony”.
A senior member of the Internet Freedom Foundation said, “When political actors use AI to depict violence against a specific religious community, it sends a dangerous message. It normalises hate and creates fear among citizens.”
The report also mentions similar examples in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, where AI tools were allegedly used for political messaging.
For many Indian Muslims, such developments are worrying. A community activist in Delhi said, “We already face suspicion in many spaces. When technology is used to show violence against us, even if it is fake, it increases anxiety and makes people feel unsafe.”
