On October 15, 2025, Deepika Padukone, a 39‑year‑old Bollywood star and founder of The Live Love Laugh Foundation, announced she will be the new voice of Meta AI for users in six English‑speaking markets. The move follows her appointment on World Mental Health Day as the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare’s first‑ever Mental Health Ambassador. Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company behind Instagram and WhatsApp, confirmed the rollout alongside Hindi language support and a pilot UPI Lite payment feature for its Ray‑Ban Meta glasses.
Background: From Bollywood to Mental‑Health Advocacy
Deepika’s journey from silver‑screen heroine to mental‑health crusader began in 2015 when she launched The Live Love Laugh Foundation. The nonprofit has funded awareness campaigns, school‑based counseling pilots, and a helpline that now handles over 30,000 calls a month. Her personal experience with postpartum depression, which she shared publicly in 2017, gave the organization a human face and amplified its reach.
When the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare announced on October 10, 2025 that Padukone would serve as India’s first Mental Health Ambassador, the move was praised as a strategic blend of celebrity influence and public‑policy intent. In an Instagram post that day, she wrote, "I am deeply honoured to be appointed by the Ministry to champion mental health across our nation," a sentiment echoed by Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya during a brief press conference in New Delhi.
Meta AI Voice Launch Details
Meta’s announcement came as part of a broader localization effort aimed at tightening its grip on the Indian market, where internet users now number over 800 million. In a studio‑recorded video posted to Padukone’s Instagram, she greeted fans with, "Hi, I am Deepika Padukone. I am the new voice of Meta AI. So tap the ring and my voice will run out." The caption clarified that the voice will be available in English across India, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Meta Platforms Inc. (headquartered in Menlo Park, California) said the voice will be rendered in an Indian English dialect, complete with subtle regional inflections. This is the first time an Indian actress has been featured in the global roster that already includes Awkwafina and Dame Judi Dench.
Simultaneously, Meta introduced full Hindi language support for its AI assistant, allowing users to converse entirely in Hindi. The company also unveiled a prototype of UPI Lite integration for its Ray‑Ban Meta glasses. At the Global Fintech Fest held in MumbaiMumbai, Meta demonstrated a "Hey Meta, Scan and Pay" command that triggers a UPI QR code transaction of under ₹1,000 without ever touching a phone.
Legal Landscape: Celebrities Fight AI Deepfakes
Padukone’s partnership arrives against a backdrop of mounting legal battles in India over AI‑generated deepfakes. On October 15, 2025, Anil Kapoor, Suniel Shetty, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and singers Asha Bhosle and Arijit Singh filed petitions across multiple high courts seeking protection of their personality rights. They argue that unconsented AI recreations could dilute brand value and cause emotional distress.
Legal experts note that India’s Information Technology Act, last amended in 2023, does not yet explicitly cover AI‑generated content, leaving a gray area. The petitions could prompt the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to draft new guidelines, which might affect future collaborations like Padukone’s.
Implications for Users and Mental‑Health Advocacy
For everyday users, the rollout means a more familiar voice guiding them through everyday queries, from weather updates to trivia. In practice, a teenager in Bengaluru might ask, "Hey Meta, what’s the best way to manage exam stress?" and receive a response that not only answers the question but also subtly nudges them toward The Live Love Laugh Foundation’s resources.
From a mental‑health perspective, Padukone’s dual role signals an attempt to humanize AI. Dr. Rama Raghuram, a psychiatrist at AIIMS Delhi, told reporters, "When a trusted public figure becomes the voice of a technology, it can lower stigma and encourage people to seek help, provided the content is responsibly curated."
Meta’s UPI Lite feature also promises frictionless micro‑transactions, especially for gig‑economy workers who can now pay for a coffee or a bus ticket simply by speaking to their glasses. Early testers in Mumbai reported an average transaction time of 2.4 seconds, a notable improvement over traditional QR scanning.
Future Outlook and Next Steps
Meta has hinted that the voice rollout will expand to additional Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu and Marathi, later in 2026. The company also plans to integrate mental‑wellness check‑ins within the AI, leveraging Padukone’s expertise to flag potential distress signals.
On the regulatory front, the Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments from the celebrity consortium by early 2026. If new statutes emerge, they could require explicit consent before any AI model can replicate a celebrity’s voice, which would reshape how tech firms negotiate such deals.
Meanwhile, Padukone’s appointment as Mental Health Ambassador remains a three‑year term, with a focus on school‑based programs and digital outreach. She is slated to launch a nationwide campaign called "Listen, Speak, Heal" in early 2026, which will dovetail with the AI voice to promote proactive mental‑health conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will Deepika Padukone’s voice affect everyday Meta AI users?
Users in the six supported countries will hear Padukone’s Indian English tone when they invoke the assistant. The familiar cadence aims to boost engagement, especially among younger audiences who recognize her from film and advocacy work.
What does the Mental Health Ambassador role entail?
The position, created by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, involves public‑speaking, campaigning for destigmatization, and partnering with NGOs to expand mental‑health services. Padukone will lead the "Listen, Speak, Heal" initiative, which includes school workshops and a digital resource hub.
Can I make payments through Ray‑Ban Meta glasses right now?
The UPI Lite feature is currently in a limited pilot in select Indian cities. Participants can voice‑command payments up to ₹1,000, but widespread rollout is expected later this year after regulatory clearance.
What legal challenges could affect future AI‑voice collaborations?
Recent petitions by Indian celebrities seek stronger personality‑right protections against AI deepfakes. If courts mandate explicit consent for voice cloning, tech firms may need to negotiate more detailed contracts, possibly limiting the speed of similar partnerships.
Will Meta AI support other Indian languages soon?
Meta has signaled plans to add Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and several other regional languages by early 2026, aligning with its broader localization strategy in the sub‑continent.
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