Don’t Think AI Needs to Change; Humans Do: Pratiksha Rai

Actor Pratiksha Rai, who made a name for herself with the popular TV show Vasudha, believes that while technology and artificial intelligence continue to evolve, it’s not machines that need fixing, but human beings who do.  She said, "Things keep changing with time. First they create something, then they find loopholes, and then they upgrade it. So I don’t expect AI to completely understand human emotions because that’s not what it’s built for." 

"AI is already doing what it can. If someone searches something harmful, like how to commit suicide, it doesn’t give methods—it gives helpline numbers and mental health support, and it tries to help. So I don’t think AI needs to change. Humans do," she added. 

According to her, the real problem is the loss of empathy and compassion in people today. She went on to express her concern about how insensitive society has become in the name of humor. She said, "In the name of dark humor, people today make fun of death, cheating, and even rape and animal abuse. They make jokes about things that should shake us to our core." 

Recalling a disturbing example, Pratiksha shared how social media often amplifies someone’s pain instead of showing compassion. She shared, "I saw a viral video once—a woman caught her husband cheating, and instead of understanding her pain, people made memes and reels. Just imagine what she must be going through—already broken, already humiliated—and then the whole internet laughs at her pain." 

"Recently, I’ve seen people even mocking situations where a mother has lost her son, or a child has lost their parent—they turn that into a meme, saying 'drum drum drum blue drum blue drum' and laughing about it," she added. 

Sharing her disappointment, she mentioned that people today have normalized cruelty for entertainment. She said, "We’ve become so insensitive that even someone’s deepest pain is entertainment. And then we say we want to ‘develop’ AI, we want to ‘fix’ technology. But tell me, what about fixing ourselves? What about developing our hearts, our empathy, our humanity?" 

For Pratiksha, the solution lies in inner transformation. She said, "It’s not AI that needs to evolve; it’s us. We need to change our mindset, our behavior, and our hearts. Because somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten how to feel."

Speaking about the role of celebrities and influencers in spreading awareness about mental health and responsible technology use, she emphasized that they hold great influence and responsibility. She said, "Celebrities and influencers play a huge role in creating awareness—whether it’s about mental health, responsible use of technology, or even simple lifestyle choices. People look up to us; they get influenced by what we say, what we wear, and what we do. So, it’s a big responsibility." 

"Unfortunately, I’ve seen many celebrities promoting things that they themselves would never use or consume—and some of those things are actually harmful. Now, whenever something is promoted online, the audience immediately assumes, ‘Oh, they must be paid for this. It’s just a collaboration.’ And honestly, that’s true in many cases," she added. 

She believes in being honest with her followers. She said, "I personally don’t do that. I only promote something I’ve used myself, something I truly believe in. Because for me, my audience’s trust matters more than a brand deal." 

"We were supposed to be the reason for awareness, for honesty… But somewhere along the way, we lost that connection, that credibility," Pratiksha ended.