New Delhi: The growing threat of deepfakes and AI misuse has taken a troubling turn, with a recent investigation revealing that AI-powered chatbots on Telegram are being used to generate explicit images of real people. Millions of users are reportedly engaging with these tools, raising serious concerns about privacy, consent, and the potential harm caused by this technology. Authorities and individuals worldwide are now grappling with the implications of this alarming trend.

Several celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Jenna Ortega, Alia Bhatt, and Rashmika Mandanna have fallen victim to these deepfakes. What’s even more alarming is that teenage girls are now being targeted, with deepfakes increasingly being used for sextortion schemes.

These AI-powered bots allow users to alter photos with just a few clicks. This creates deepfakes that remove clothing or depict fabricated sexual activity. According to a recent report by Wired, around 4 million people use these chatbots monthly to produce such deepfakes. This causes significant risks to privacy and safety, particularly for young girls and women.

Four years ago, deepfake expert Henry Ajder uncovered a Telegram bot designed to “undress” photos of women using AI. Today, the issue has grown rapidly with a new study revealing that at least 50 similar bots are now active on the platform, attracting over 4 million monthly users. These tools allow users to easily generate nude images of real people by editing photos with just a few clicks and some even creating fake images of individuals performing sexual acts.

WIRED’s analysis of Telegram groups involved in explicit content reveals that at least two bots have over 400,000 monthly users, with another 14 bots attracting more than 100,000 subscribers. Deepfake expert Henry Ajder has called this situation “nightmarish,” emphasising the serious harm these tools pose, particularly to young girls.

As per WIRED report, At least 25 Telegram channels support the identified bots, attracting over 3 million members combined. These channels provide updates on new bot features, offer special deals on “tokens” needed to use the bots and often direct users to alternative bots if the original ones are removed by Telegram. Further, the demand for “nudify” websites has become so high that Russian cybercriminals, as 404Media reports, have begun creating fake sites to infect users with malware.