A Qatari court has issued a landmark ruling ordering a news channel to compensate a woman after using her personal photos and videos without permission to create an artificial intelligence-generated virtual news presenter.
The case is considered one of the first in Qatar involving AI and deepfake technology, setting an important legal precedent for the protection of image rights and privacy in the digital age.
Woman's Images Used Without Consent
According to court documents, the news channel used the woman's photos and videos to generate a virtual news anchor using artificial intelligence. The AI-generated presenter was given a different name and featured in promotional campaigns, news programs, and social media content without the woman's knowledge or consent.
The plaintiff argued that the virtual presenter delivered news and opinions that did not reflect her personal beliefs or the views of her home country, resulting in reputational and emotional harm.
Legal Action Against the Channel
After discovering the unauthorized use of her images, the woman, through her legal representative, issued a formal notice demanding that the channel immediately remove all related content and cease using her likeness.
The broadcaster complied by deleting the AI-generated presenter and associated promotional materials from its platforms. However, the woman proceeded with legal action, seeking compensation for the material and moral damages she suffered.
Channel Claimed AI Character Was Independent
During the proceedings, the news channel argued that the AI-generated presenter was an original artistic creation, independent from the woman's original images, and therefore did not infringe on her rights.
An intellectual property expert appointed by the court also concluded that the AI-generated work constituted an independent artistic creation.
However, the court rejected that interpretation.
Court: AI Does Not Override Personal Rights
The court ruled that although artificial intelligence altered the woman's appearance, the virtual presenter was still fundamentally derived from her original photographs.
It held that using AI-generated content does not eliminate the connection between the original image and its owner.
The judgment found that the broadcaster violated the woman's rights to privacy, image, and personality, as protected under Qatar's Copyright and Neighboring Rights Protection Law No. (7) of 2002, which prohibits publishing or distributing a person's image without consent, regardless of the technology used.
Compensation Reduced on Appeal
A lower court initially awarded the plaintiff QR700,000 in compensation.
Following an appeal, the amount was reduced to QR100,000, covering both material and moral damages. The broadcaster subsequently appealed to the Court of Cassation, which dismissed the appeal, making the ruling final and legally binding.
Landmark Ruling for AI and Deepfake Technology
Legal experts described the judgment as a significant milestone in addressing disputes arising from rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies.
The ruling confirms that AI-generated works do not override an individual's rights over their personal image and establishes that unauthorized use of a person's likeness through deepfake or AI technology may result in legal liability and compensation.
As AI-generated content becomes increasingly common, the case is expected to serve as an important legal reference for future disputes involving privacy, intellectual property, and digital identity in Qatar.
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