Indian Advertising Guidelines Mandate AI Content Labeling
India's Advertising Standards Council (ASCI) has released new guidelines requiring advertisers to label artificial intelligence-generated content. The rules take effect in three months.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has issued new guidelines requiring advertisers to label artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images, video, and audio in advertisements when the content "materially influences consumer decisions and the absence of disclosure could mislead consumers."
The guidelines, which take effect three months after publication, aim to ensure transparency and protect consumers from potentially misleading marketing. This applies to scenarios involving AI influencers, realistic replicas of real individuals' likenesses or voices, and demonstrations of non-existent products.
ASCI's rules differ from India's Information Technology (IT) Rules, which focus on online platforms' responsibility to label AI content. ASCI's regulations place the onus directly on advertisers and mandate labeling if the content could sway consumer purchasing decisions. Routine editing and obvious fantastical effects are exempt.
Manisha Kapoor, ASCI Secretary General and CEO, emphasized that the mere use of an AI label does not make a misleading advertisement acceptable. Advertisers retain responsibility for ensuring honest and transparent communication. The new provisions come into effect three months from their publication date.