RMLNLU To Organise Second National Conference On IPR, Advertising, AI & Deepfakes In Hybrid Mode (March 28–29, 2026)
In the contemporary digital economy, advertising and branding have undergone a fundamental transformation. The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithm-driven marketing, influencer culture, and immersive digital platforms has redefined how brands communicate with consumers. At the same time, the emergence of deepfake technologies, synthetic media, and AI-generated endorsements has raised complex intellectual property and personality rights concerns, particularly in relation to celebrities, public figures, and individuals whose identity, likeness, or voice may be commercially exploited without consent.
Advertising today is no longer limited to traditional media. It is increasingly powered by data analytics, generative AI tools, virtual influencers, and automated branding strategies. While these innovations offer unprecedented creative possibilities and commercial efficiency, they also challenge existing intellectual property frameworks relating to copyright, trademarks, publicity rights, and unfair competition. The misuse of AI-generated deepfakes in advertisements, political messaging, and brand promotions poses serious threats to reputation, consumer trust, and individual autonomy.
Against this backdrop, the DPIIT IPR Chair at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University (RMLNLU), Lucknow proposes to organize the Second Edition of the National Conference on 28-29 March 2026. The conference aims to provide a multidisciplinary platform for legal scholars, policymakers, industry professionals, technologists, and students to critically examine the evolving interface between intellectual property law, advertising practices, branding strategies, and emerging AI-driven technologies.
CONCEPT NOTE
The growing convergence of intellectual property rights with advertising and branding practices has brought personality rights, celebrity rights, and digital identity to the forefront of legal discourse. AI-driven tools can now generate hyper-realistic images, videos, and voices, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content. Deepfakes, in particular, have emerged as a powerful yet dangerous technology, capable of misappropriating a person's likeness for commercial gain, misinformation, or reputational harm.
Traditional IP regimes were not designed to address challenges arising from virtual influencers, synthetic endorsements, and AI-generated brand ambassadors. Questions surrounding ownership, consent, liability, and enforcement remain largely unresolved. The unauthorized use of celebrity images or voices in advertisements through AI tools raises serious concerns regarding passing off, false endorsement, trademark dilution, and violation of privacy and personality rights.
This conference seeks to explore whether existing legal frameworks are adequate to regulate AI-driven advertising and branding or whether new regulatory approaches are required. It also aims to deliberate on global best practices, comparative legal developments, and policy responses to ensure ethical governance, consumer protection, and the safeguarding of individual rights in the digital advertising ecosystem.
The conference will feature parallel technical sessions, invited keynote lectures, paper presentations, and expert-led discussions. Selected papers, after rigorous peer review and plagiarism checks, are proposed to be published with a reputed publisher. Another significant outcome of the conference will be the preparation of a White Paper based on expert consultations and session deliberations, offering policy recommendations on AI, deepfakes, and personality rights in advertising and branding.
CALL FOR PAPERS
The DPIIT IPR Chair, RMLNLU, Lucknow invites original, unpublished research papers, articles, and case analyses from academicians, legal practitioners, policymakers, industry professionals, advertising experts, media professionals, research scholars, and students from across India.
Submissions may be doctrinal, empirical, comparative, or interdisciplinary in nature. Papers aligned with the main theme or related areas are welcome.
SUB-THEMES
· Personality Rights and Celebrity Rights in Advertising and Branding
· AI-Generated Endorsements and Legal Accountability
· Deepfakes and Misappropriation of Identity: Legal Remedies and Challenges
· Trademark Law and False Endorsement in the Age of AI
· Copyright Issues in AI-Generated Advertisements and Branding Content
· Regulation of Influencer Marketing and Virtual Influencers
· Consumer Protection and Deceptive Advertising Using AI Tools
· Comparative Perspectives on Personality Rights and Publicity Rights
· Ethical Governance of AI in Advertising and Brand Communication
· Balancing Innovation and Individual Rights in Digital Advertising
The above mentionedsub-themes are indicative and not exhaustive.Author(s) can write papers on any topic within the scope of the main theme or related to the mentioned Sub-Themes.
Venue: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Sector D-1, LDA Colony, Kanpur Road Scheme, Aashiyana, Lucknow-226012.
Important Links :
Link for Abstract Submission: https://forms.gle/q8eTVzhbjoD61FKW7
Registration & Submission Link: https://forms.gle/rwJqtU9yiJUxnBrs6
Detailed Brochure : https://sites.google.com/view/dpiit-ipr-chair-rmlnlu/home
Important Dates :
Abstract Submission Deadline: 5th March 2026
Confirmation of Selection: 8th March 2026
Full Paper Submission Deadline: 25th March 2026
Last Date for Registration & Fee Payment: 25th March 2026
REGISTRATION GUIDELINES
1. The registration fee is as follows: -
· For Students- Rs 1000 /-
· For academicians and professionals - Rs. 1500 /-
· RMLNLU students- Rs. 500 /-
**Accommodation to outstation participants shall be provided subject to availability in nearby hotels on concessional payment basis. Accommodation charges are exclusive of registration fees.
2. Each Author has to pay individually.
3. Link for Abstract Submission: https://forms.gle/q8eTVzhbjoD61FKW7
Abstract Length: 250–300 words
Full Paper Word Limit: 6000–8000 words
Citation Style: OSCOLA (4th Edition)
4. Registration for the conference has to be done through the following link:-
https://forms.gle/yWo74Fc3L9YT3ssq9
Payment Guide: Payment Instructions:
• Visit SBI Collect: https://onlinesbi.sbi.bank.in/sbicollect/icollecthome.htm
• Search Institute: DR RAM MANOHAR LOHIA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW
• Select Payment Category: REGISTRATION FEE
• Select Event/Academic Activity: Seminar/Workshop
• In the remark section - 2nd National Conference by DPIIT IPR Chair RMLNLU
* Mode of the Conference:Hybrid Mode (Online & Offline)
5. Contact Details: Rishi Shukla – 7985176907, Shivam Shukla - 8765666696
Email ID: iprchair.rmlnlu@gmail.com
Contact Number: 7985176907, 8765666696
Address: IPR Chair Office, Administrative Block II, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow
ABOUT DR. RAM MANOHAR LOHIYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow, was established by an Act of the Government of Uttar Pradesh in 2005 and began operations in January 2006. It offers programs such as a PhD in law, social sciences, and humanities, a one-year LL.M., and a five-year integrated B.A. LL.B. (Hons.). The university is equipped with a modern Seminar Hall, Video Conferencing Hall, and one of India's top law libraries, the Madhu Limaye Library. With excellent infrastructure, RMLNLU is committed to advancing legal education and research, emphasizing students' responsibility to serve society through law.
ABOUT THE DPIIT IPR CHAIR, RMLNLU
The Department for Promotion of Industries and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, launched the SPRIHA scheme in 2016 to establish IPR Chairs in select universities and academic institutes. This aligns with the National IPR Policy's goal to strengthen IP Chairs in higher education for quality teaching, research, and curriculum development.
RMLNLU Lucknow was selected as one of the institutions to host an IPR Chair under the leadership of Professor Manish Singh. The Chair promotes IPR education, research, and outreach, offering courses at all levels and fostering policy-relevant research. It aims to create an IPR knowledge database, case study repository, and gather insights from industry and academia to aid policymakers. The initiative supports IPR application filings and encourages collaboration between industry and academia, addressing technology sharing and research gaps. Scholarships will also be provided for emerging IPR areas.