The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released guidelines for the responsible labelling of Synthetically Generated Content (SGC) in advertisements, establishing disclosure requirements for artificial intelligence (AI) usage.
Effective three months from its publication date following stakeholder consultations initiated in May, the framework evaluates synthetic content based on its impact on consumer decision-making rather than the underlying technology itself.
The framework mandates labelling when synthetic content materially influences consumers such as virtual influencers, voice replication, or synthetic product demos while routine editing and copy generation require no disclosure, and deceptive practices like unauthorised deepfakes remain strictly prohibited.
Commenting on the regulation, Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, noted, “The use of AI in advertising is evolving rapidly, and our approach must evolve with it while keeping the consumer at the centre. The responsibility remains with advertisers to ensure that the end communication is honest, transparent, and compliant with the ASCI Code.”
Where required, disclosures can use standard platform labels or clear phrasing like “Audio/Video created using AI” or “Audio/Video enhanced using AI,” following standard ASCI disclaimer rules
