Amul Issues Clarification After AI Deepfake of 'Sharam Cheese' Goes Viral: 'This is Fake'

Did you come across an image circulating on social media depicting Amul cheese being marketed as ‘Sharam’? Mind you, it’s part of the recent trend of AI-generated deepfakes proliferating on the internet. Amul has explicitly stated that they have not authorised any such product, and the entire scenario is entirely fabricated. In their words, “This is for your kind information that a fake message is being forwarded on Whatsapp and Social Media platforms regarding new type of Amul Cheese. The creator of the post has made the creative and posted this without any authorization from Amul.”

The viral image showcases a mustard yellow packet with the Amul logo at the top and the word “Sharam” in a larger font, followed by “Cheese” and accompanying text in Urdu. In Hindi and Urdu, “Sharam” translates to shame.

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The manipulated image is accompanied by a caption that cleverly plays on the commonly used Hindi phrase, “Sharam naam ki bhi koi cheese hoti hai,” which literally means, “Is there anything called shame?”

Amul clarified that the image was generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has no association with the dairy giant. According to their statement, “We notice in the post that the pack has been developed using AI (artificial intelligence) and is using the Amul brand name poorly and is disparaging. We wish to assure you that the pack shown in this post is not Amul Cheese. This post has been used to create misinformation and spread unnecessary fear and concern among consumers.”

Interestingly, this isn’t the first instance of Amul facing false claims. Previously, the dairy giant refuted allegations made in a viral video suggesting fungus growth in a packet of Amul lassi. Terming the video as fake, Amul accused the creator of spreading false information and unwarranted panic among consumers, clarifying that the alleged fungus discovery occurred despite the products being within the expiry date.