Taylor Swift files trademark applications to protect voice and image from AI deepfakes

Taylor Swift Wants to Trademark Her Likeness. These TikTok Deepfake Ads Show Why

Last week, Taylor Swift filed a trio of trademark applications to protect her image and voice. One is meant to cover a well-known photograph of the pop singer holding a pink guitar during a concert on her record-breaking Eras tour, while the two sound trademarks are for simple identifying phrases: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and "Hey, it's Taylor." The move comes as AI deepfakes continue to proliferate across social media. Any individual stands to have their likeness exploited in the creation of nonconsensual AI-generated material; earlier this month, an Ohio man was the first person convicted under a new federal law criminalizing "intimate" visual deceptions of this sort. Celebrities, meanwhile, find themselves at risk of both explicit deepfakes and false endorsements. A new report from AI detection company Copyleaks shows that Swift and other stars have recently had their likenesses used in scammy advertisements. Researchers identified a cluster of sponsored videos on TikTok that appeared to show Swift, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, and others promoting "potentially fraudulent or malicious services," with the clips making use of what the researchers call "realistic-sounding voices" as well as "textured filters meant to mask some of the flaws in the AI-generated visuals." The fake ads show Swift et al. in what seem to be common interview settings -- red carpet events or talk show sets. Rather than answering questions, however, the AI-generated celebrities talk up supposed rewards programs in which TikTok users are paid for offering feedback on content served to them. "I was reading about digital behavior this week and came across a testing feature called TikTok Pay," says a deepfaked Swift in an ad that uses manipulated footage from an appearance the real Swift made on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in October. "Certain users are being invited to watch videos and submit opinions." The deepfaked Swift goes on to say that the program is in "limited rollout" for the moment but encourages viewers to see if they qualify for it, adding: "If the page opens for you, don't overthink it." Naturally, anyone who clicks is accepted. These ads eventually lead the user to a third-party service that, despite the TikTok name and logo, has evidently been vibe-coded using the AI platform Lovable, whose own branding appears on the page and in the URL. At this point, the researchers say, the user is prompted to begin entering their name and personal information. While it's not clear what the advertisers intend to with all the data mined through their celebrity deepfake promotion, scam ads with similar objectives are exceedingly common. Last week, the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America sued Meta, alleging that the tech giant misled Facebook and Instagram users about its efforts to crack down on scam ads -- and profited by allowing them to proliferate. On Monday, the US Federal Trade Commission reported that social media scams have surged overall, with Facebook scams accounting for the highest total of financial losses. It's no surprise that Swift and her peers are taking legal steps to distance themselves from this fraudulent economy. While Swift hasn't publicly commented on the reasoning behind her trademark filings, the reputational damage that deceitful deepfakes pose to her billion-dollar brand can hardly be overlooked. The trouble is, they grow more sophisticated by the day.

Taylor Swift Trademarks Her Voice and Image to Counter AI

Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene. When he's not in front of a keyboard, you'll most likely find him playing video games or watching horror movies. Taylor Swift is taking legal action against potential AI misuse by trademarking her voice and image. The pop legend on Friday filed three trademark applications: two voice tracks and one image, as reported earlier Monday by Variety. The two trademark filings involve the vocal phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor" and the image filing is of Swift holding a pink guitar held up by a black strap and wearing an iridescent bodysuit in front of a pink stage while on the Eras Tour. As AI deepfakes continue to spread across the internet, Swift's move isn't all that surprising. Being one of the most famous people alive, the singer has already dealt with a swath of AI-created forgeries, including a fake endorsement of Donald Trump for president during the 2024 election cycle. Swift wouldn't be the only celebrity to make such a move, as Matthew McConaughey trademarked his famous "alright, alright, alright" phrase from the 1993 film Dazed and Confused. McConaughey has more than a few views on what he'd like to see from AI. Swift's filings caught the attention of trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who wrote in a blog post that trademarking a celebrity's spoken voice hasn't been tested in court before. Music artists typically use copyright to protect their music. "But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill," Gerben wrote. Gebern also said that the trademark may be the next weapon for celebrities to fight against AI. The attorney explained that having a trademark "stops anything that is confusingly similar to the registered trademark." Gerben says the "legal theories" behind Swift's filings are strong and that he looks forward to the case when she sues AI platforms directly. Swift didn't immediately respond to a request for comment through her publicist.

Taylor Swift is stepping up the legal war on AI copycats

Taylor Swift has been at the center of AI imitation controversies for years, and now, she's become the latest celebrity who's escalating attempts to protect herself from AI copycats. As usual, however, the legal system intersects with technology in complicated ways -- and Swift's efforts may be a long shot. In trademark applications filed last week, Swift's team asked for protection for two phrases spoken by the singer: Hey, it's Taylor Swift and Hey, it's Taylor. The trademark applications, filed by TAS Rights Management on behalf of Swift, include audio clips of Swift saying the two phrases as part of a promotion for her latest album. "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album The Life of a Showgirl on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited," Swift says in one of the clips. TAS Rights Management filed a trademark application for a photo of Swift as well, which shows the musician "holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots" on stage. Though Swift's team hasn't said that the trademarks are meant to protect against AI misuse, it seems like a likely possibility given Swift's history with AI. Not only has the star had to deal with the threat of AI music, but Swift also contended with an onslaught of sexualized AI deepfakes. Artists have long used copyright law to protect their music, but the rise of AI-generated tracks has made defending their work and likenesses more difficult. That's because copyrights only protect an artist's song -- not their voice. Legal teams have had to get a bit creative as a result, with Universal Music Group (UMG) issuing copyright takedown requests of an AI-generated Drake song, citing the Metro Boomin producer tag that plays at the beginning. As explained by IP attorney Josh Gerben, trademarks could help fill the gap created by AI-generated mimicry. Instead of targeting exact copies of her music, Swift "could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are 'confusingly similar,'" according to Gerben. The photo of Swift, similarly, could be potentially used to take action against similar AI-generated imagery. Earlier this year, Matthew McConaughey similarly obtained trademarks for video clips of himself, including one where he says "Alright, alright, alright" to protect against AI misuse. But Alexandra Roberts, a professor of law and media at Northeastern University, tells The Verge that she's "skeptical" that the audio clip submitted by Swift's team "demonstrates use as a mark, rather than just a phrase that's included as part of a longer message": Typically for a soundmark we'd think of something like the NBC chimes or the MGM lion roar that plays at the beginning of each show or movie in isolation... If the USPTO [US Patent and Trademark Office] does issue preliminary refusals, Taylor's team will have a chance to provide different specimens that might do a better job satisfying the use requirement. Swift's trademarks could serve as another legal tool in her arsenal against AI-generated copycats, even if they're legally murky. Xiyin Tang, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, tells The Verge that trademarks could help "warn off unsophisticated infringers by directing them to a federal registration number and certificate of registration and hope that convinces them to stop, not because the federal registration would actually hold up in court." There are already some avenues Swift's team could take, including the right of publicity laws enacted across several states, which allow people to take legal action against the misuse of their name or likeness. Artists can combat false advertising and endorsements through federal law, too. "Swift also has numerous trademark registrations for her name, so she can sue for federal trademark infringement if there's a use of her name by someone else that creates a likelihood of confusion," Roberts says. So far, only Tennessee has passed a law that specifically addresses AI-generated copycats of an artist's voice. Even YouTube's deepfake detection tool, which gives celebrities, politicians, journalists, and creators the ability to take down AI-generated lookalikes, only applies to people copying their faces for now. In the absence of a larger framework for AI soundalikes, artists like Swift may hope trademark law will help defend against AI mimics that are coming not just for their faces, but their voices, too.

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice, likeness to ward off AI deepfakes

April 27 (Reuters) - Pop superstar Taylor Swift filed trademark applications for two audio clips and one image of herself in what a trademark attorney said is an attempt to protect her voice and likeness from deepfake videos and audio created by artificial intelligence. The applications were filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday and list Swift's TAS Rights Management as being the owner of the audio clips and image. A spokesperson for Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, nor did lawyers who ⁠were listed on the filings. In one of the audio clips, Swift is heard saying: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." The second clip says: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on October 3 and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." (SPOT.N), opens new tab The image Swift is seeking to trademark is of her onstage in a sequined outfit, pink guitar in hand. Swift's image and voice have been used in countless AI-generated deepfakes - from false advertising to fake political endorsements to explicit images. Actor Matthew McConaughey has had similar filings approved. He told the ⁠Wall Street Journal in January that "we want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world." Trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first publicized that Swift made the applications on his blog on Monday, wrote that they "are specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence." "While existing 'Right of Publicity' laws offer some protection against unauthorized ⁠use of a famous individual's likeness, trademark filings can provide an additional layer of protection," Gerben wrote. Gerben added that registering a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in courts. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law ⁠to protect their recorded music," Gerben wrote. "But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill." Gerben said the photo ⁠Swift is seeking to trademark serves a similar purpose. "By protecting a distinctive visual, down to Swift's commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, Swift's team may gain additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness," he wrote. Reporting by Brad Brooks in Colorado; Editing by Donna Bryson and Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Taylor Swift files 3 new trademark applications. One expert says it is to curb AI threats

NEW YORK (AP) -- Taylor Swift filed three new trademark applications with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, a move one legal expert theorizes it is to protect her voice and image from potential misuse through artificial intelligence. Two of the applications filed Friday are sound trademarks covering her voice, one of her saying "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and the other is "Hey, it's Taylor." The third application is for a visual trademark, described in the filing as "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multicolored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multicolored microphone with purple lights in the background." The filings were made on behalf on Swift's TAS Rights Management. All three have been approved and are currently awaiting assignment to an examining attorney. The Associated Press has reached out to a representative for Swift as well as Rebecca Liebowitz, partner at law firm Venable, who is listed as the attorney on the filings. Requests for comment were not immediately returned. News of Swift's new trademark filings made the rounds on Monday after first being noticed by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. In a blog post shared Monday, Gerben theorized that the trademarks are "specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence," in response to growing concerns that AI could challenge celebrities' abilities to control their voices and likenesses without their consent. In his post, Gerben explained that "Right of Publicity" laws -- which protect celebrities from having their images or likenesses used to sell products without their permission -- offer some protection against unauthorized use of a celebrity's likeness, but trademark filings like Swift's can offer additional protection. Swift has been a target of AI misuse in the past. Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix. In another instance, the superstar was shown in a fake endorsement of President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, which the then-candidate reposted and shared as genuine. "The Life of a Showgirl" singer is not the only celebrity to pursue these kinds of trademarks. In January, attorneys for actor Matthew McConaughey secured eight trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office including a sound trademark of his catchphrase "Alright, alright, alright." Attorneys for the entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, which represented McConaughey, told Variety the trademarks were filed in an attempt to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized use by AI, and to protect him in developing new opportunities using AI. Last year, McConaughey made a deal with voice-cloning company ElevenLabs that will allow its artificial intelligence technology to replicate his voice.

Taylor Swift files to trademark voice and image after AI concerns

Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and appearance in an apparent attempt to protect herself from artificial intelligence impersonations. The pop superstar has lodged three trademark applications in the US - one using a photo of herself on stage during her Eras Tour, and the other two being audio clips of her introducing herself while promoting her last album. AI-generated versions of Swift have cropped up in various ways in recent years - from explicit images to a fake election ad in which she appeared to urge people to vote for Donald Trump. The move comes after actor Matthew McConaughey became the first celebrity to use trademark rules to attempt to protect his voice and image from AI misuse earlier this year. Trademark applications are a relatively new way for celebrities to combat the growing issue of AI rip-offs. The photo chosen to represent Swift's image shows her on stage "holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots", according to the trademark application. It has previously been used as one of the official promotional photos for the Disney+ film of the Eras tour. She has also applied to trademark audio of herself saying "Hey, it's Taylor" and "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" from clips she recorded for Spotify and Amazon Music to promote her album The Life of a Showgirl last autumn. Even if the photo and sound clips aren't copied directly, registering their trademarks could allow her to stop AI using her image and voice more generally, according to trademark lawyer Josh Gerben, who first published details of the applications on his blog. "By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are 'confusingly similar,' a key standard in trademark law," he wrote. "Theoretically, if a lawsuit were to be filed over an AI using Swift's voice, she could claim that any use of her voice that sounds like the registered trademark violates her trademark rights. "Same with the image filing. If someone creates an AI-generated version of Taylor in a jumpsuit with a guitar, or something close to it, now Swift has a federal trademark claim."

There Will be No Taylor Swift, AI Version... if She Has Anything to Say About It

Taylor Swift is very protective of her image in the public eye. Turns out, she's quite protective of it in the eyes of AI, too. Now, the pop star is following a blueprint established by Matthew McConaughey to potentially create a legal shield that would protect her likeness from being used in generative AI outputs in a way she doesn't approve of. Variety first reported that Swift's strategy includes three trademark applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office, which were filed on her behalf by her company TAS Rights Management, which handles intellectual property and copyright matters for the pop star. Two of the trademarks are audio of her voice, the first saying, “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,†and the other saying, “Hey, it’s Taylor.†You know, classic Taylor Swift things to say. The third trademark is a visual one, covering a photo of Swift on stage. It's described in the application as "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multi-colored microphone with purple lights in the background.†Why file trademarks for these, frankly, pretty run-of-the-mill markers of one of the most famous people on earth? It's a follow-on to a strategy developed by Matthew McConaughey's legal team, who filed similar protections over both audio (McConaughey saying, “Alright, alright, alright,†which feels a bit more iconic than "Hey, it's Taylor") and images of the actor. The idea is to take away the touchstones of a celebrity that a person may seek to imitate using generative AI and create a handle for any legal challenge that these famous folks may want to bring against an unauthorized reproduction of their likeness. That is a growing concern for celebrities, and Swift has already been central to several AI scandals. Back in 2024, she was the victim of a widespread deepfake porn campaign that spread across Elon Musk's X, in which users created nonconsensual, sexually explicit images of her that were viewed millions of times. She also had to speak out after then-candidate Donald Trump posted an AI-generated video depicting Swift endorsing him for president, which she did not do. The approach being laid out by McConaughey and copied by Swift is still legally untested and may prove difficult to actually implement. It'd likely come down to proving that the trademarked material is in the training data set that ultimately produced a generative AI replica of the person in question. But whether the strategy would actually work in court is likely less important than the simple threat of it. The idea is likely to just put another club in the bag that might scare off AI firms from even trying it in the first place. That's great for celebrities who can afford both to file trademarks and defend them in court. The rest of us, unfortunately, have to live with our name, image, and likeness being fodder for the machine until literally any lawmaker does their job to protect us.

AI voice cloning is everywhere -- here's why Taylor Swift's new 'Legal Shield' is a blueprint for your digital safety

Taylor Swift isn't just protecting her hits, she's trademarking her identity If there's one thing the AI boom has made clear, it's that your face, voice, and identity are now federally protected assets. While superstars like Taylor Swift and Matthew McConaughey are leading the charge with sound trademarks, their 'legal shield' strategy is becoming the new survival guide for all of us in the age of deepfakes. Tools that once required studios and technical expertise can now clone voices, generate realistic images and mimic personalities in minutes. While celebrities like Taylor Swift often become the headline when AI likeness concerns surface, the bigger story is what this means for all of us. Because you don't need to be a global celebrity to have something worth copying. If you post videos online, run a business, host a podcast, teach classes, create content or simply share your life publicly, your voice and image may already be part of the data economy. AI systems are trained on publicly available information, and impersonation scams are becoming more common. That means protecting your identity online is no longer just a celebrity problem. It's quickly becoming an everyday one. Why voices are suddenly valuable A voice used to be personal, but now it can also be data. AI tools can analyze tone, pacing, pronunciation and speech patterns to generate eerily realistic copies. Some tools are used for legitimate purposes like accessibility, dubbing or narration. But the problem is, when voices are misused for scams, fake endorsements or impersonation. We've already seen growing concern over AI-generated celebrity voices, fake robocalls and cloned family-member scams. As the technology improves, the line between real and synthetic keeps getting harder to spot. That's why the next phase of online safety may focus more on identity signals. What Taylor Swift represents in the AI era Celebrities often become the first battleground for new technology because their likeness has clear commercial value. Taylor Swift's latest move leans heavily on the precedent set by the ELVIS Act, the first law of its kind to declare war on unauthorized AI voice cloning. Not just for celebrities; it's a 'humanity-first' law that protects everyday creators from identity theft. As the Tennessee Governor's office explains, the law effectively puts a 'digital padlock' on your voice, acknowledging its immense value in our new synthetic economy." Whether it's fake songs, unauthorized images or misleading endorsements, stars like Taylor Swift highlight a larger issue of who actually owns a voice, face or recognizable identity online. Even for those of us without multiple Grammys or worldwide name recognition, we still have rights. The problem is, the enforcement speed. For "regular people" like you and me, getting platforms to remove fake content can be tougher, and that might more than owning a trademark. The lesson for us is that if identity has value at the highest level, it has value at every level. Simply put, your reputation, trust and authenticity matter too. How to protect your voice and image right now The good news is, you don't need a legal team to start taking smarter steps today. Here are a few ways to keep yourself safe to stop scams before they start. * Audit what's public. Search your name online. Check what videos, podcasts, photos and bios are publicly accessible. You may be surprised how much material exists that could be copied or scraped. * Lock down old accounts. Unused social profiles, abandoned YouTube channels and forgotten public pages can become weak spots. Update passwords, enable two-factor authentication and remove outdated content where possible. * Use official branding consistently. If you run a business or create content, keep usernames, profile photos and bios consistent across platforms. That makes fake accounts easier to spot. * Inform family about voice scams. One of the fastest-growing threats is AI-generated calls pretending to be a loved one in distress. Create a family safe word or verification question now. Doing so can prevent panic later. * Watch for fake endorsements. If you see your image, voice or name used in ads or suspicious posts, report it immediately through the platform. The takeaway The faster you act, the better. You don't have to be an influencer to have your voice cloned or manipulated so it's important to start protecting yourself now. We're entering a world where proving something is real is getting more difficult every day. This applies to everyone from celebrities to small business owners or really anyone with online presence. In other words, nobody is turly safe. The growing value of identity in a world where machines can imitate almost anyone is scary. Have you ever been a victim of voice cloning or know someone who has? Share your thoughts in the comments. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

Taylor Swift Files Trademarks to Protect Image From AI Deepfakes

Global superstar Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications for her image in what is believed to be an attempt to protect her likeness from AI deepfakes. Swift filed trademark applications for one image of herself and two audio clips on Friday in a seeming effort to safeguard her voice and likeness against deepfake videos and audio created using AI. The three filings were first reported by trademark attorney Josh Gerben on his blog on Monday. Gerben writes that the trademarks "are specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence." One of the applications seeks to protect an image of Swift performing onstage, wearing one of her signature sparkly bodysuits and playing a pink guitar. She also filed trademark applications for two audio clips of her voice. In one, she says: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, The Life of a Showgirl, on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." In the other, she says in a lower register: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album The Life of a Showgirl is out on October 3, and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." If approved, all three registrations would cover use of the trademarks across a wide range of "entertainment services." Swift's image and voice have been widely used in AI-generated deepfakes, including false advertising, fake political endorsements, and explicit content. A study named her, along with Donald Trump, as among the most frequently deepfaked individuals online. And in 2024, social media platform X blocked searches for Swift after sexually explicit AI-generated images of the singer spread on the site and were viewed millions of times. The incident prompted U.S. senators to introduce a bill that would criminalize the distribution of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. Swift's filings follow similar efforts by actor Matthew McConaughey, who has also sought to "trademark himself" amid growing concern over AI deepfakes and voice cloning. According to The Wall Street Journal, McConaughey pursued protection for several video clips of himself, as well as audio of him delivering his well-known line "Alright, alright, alright" from the film Dazed and Confused. It remains unclear whether this legal approach will succeed. Gerben notes that registering a celebrity's image and spoken voice is a new use of trademark law that has not yet been tested in court. "Theoretically, if a lawsuit were to be filed over an AI using Swift's voice, she could claim that any use of her voice that sounds like the registered trademark violates her trademark rights," Gerben writes. "The image-based filing serves a similar purpose. By protecting a distinctive visual, down to Swift's commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, Swift's team may gain additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness."

Taylor Swift is taking legal action against the rising threat of AI misuse -- here's why the singer has filed trademark applications to protect her identity

* Taylor Swift has filed three trademark applications to protect her sound and image from AI deepfakes * It follows Matthew McConaughey's filings from January * Her trademarks reflect the industry's increasing concerns, but smaller artists are still feeling the burn AI interpretations are on the rise, and Taylor Swift is the latest artist to take a legal stance against the increasing threats. Acting on behalf of the singer, Swift's company TAS Management filed three trademark applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office on April 24, two of which relate to sound trademarks protecting Swift's voice represented by the phrases 'Hey, it's Taylor Swift' and 'Hey, it's Taylor' -- which she's known for saying several times during her live performances. The third trademark relates to visual protections, where a photo of her 'holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots' (as described in the application) has been used to represent her image. The filings were first spotted by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben, but Swift's team has yet to provide a comment on the status of the applications. At the moment, it's quite an uncertain time to be a musician, or any public figure in entertainment for that matter, and Swift's latest legal action shows how increasingly concerned artists are becoming for the safeguarding of their identities against AI. But Swift isn't the first one to take action in this way. Just like musicians, actors have also expressed concerns about losing control over their identities -- the most recent example being Matthew McConaughey. Earlier this year, McConaughey trademarked himself saying 'alright, alright, alright' (his famous catchphrase from the 1993 movie Dazed and Confused) to implement tighter legal safeguards to make it easier to challenge potential AI misinterpretations. If they were to be approved, Swift's trademarks will provide similar protections according to Gerben's blog post. "Theoretically, if a lawsuit were to be filed over an AI using Swift's voice, she could claim that any use of her voice that sounds like the registered trademark violates her trademark rights," he details. Given her international status, there's no doubt that Swift's trademark requests will be granted to warrant her safety, but not all artists have this privilege, and it's the lesser-known musicians that are falling victim to fraudulent AI impersonations. Back in January, folk singer Murphy Campbell faced every artist's worst nightmare when she found a number of songs listed on her Spotify page that she had recorded, but never released, The Verge reported. She recalled noticing something 'off' about the vocals, and after running songs through multiple AI detectors, she concluded that they were AI-generated using live performance videos of the unreleased songs she uploaded to YouTube. Although the fraudulent songs no longer appear to be available on platforms such as Apple Music, Campbell's concerns are far from relaxed as there's still a number of impersonation profiles with the same name -- highlighting the responsibility that the best music streaming services have to protect their artists. As a result, Spotify has since rolled out a new approval system for artists that gives them control over what music appears on their profile. This will allow artists to approve and decline music when it's submitted to Spotify in their name, helping to filter out any AI impersonations and deepfakes. Despite the rise of these kinds of safety measures, the uncertainty of AI misuse will remain a worry for those in entertainment until firmer regulations are clamped down. Now that the biggest pop star in the world has kick-started her stance against AI imitation, it could serve as a catalyst for an influx of similar filings from other big artists with big reputations to protect. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.

Taylor Swift wants to trademark her voice and image. What will it mean for AI?

Taylor Swift has reportedly filed to trademark her voice and image, in a move that could give her legal standing against AI deepfakes. According to Reuters, the pop superstar submitted applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday, for two audio files -- "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and "Hey, it's Taylor" -- and an image of Swift onstage. The trademark owner is reportedly listed as Swift's TAS Rights Management. Hollywood star Matthew McConoughey made a similar move in January. It's a landmark moment of potential empowerment for Swift, who has been plagued with AI-generated deepfake videos and images over the last few years. In Jan. 2024, sexualised AI-generated images of Swift went viral on X, prompting hundreds of millions of views and fan outrage. In Aug. 2025, unauthorised chatbots on Meta impersonated Swift and other celebrities making sexual advances. The filing could also have political repercussions. In Aug. 2024, Donald Trump posted a deepfake on social media falsely suggesting that Swift and her fans backed the Republican presidential nominee. Nonconsensual AI-generated images have become a colossal problem -- and for Elon Musk's X, in particular, with the platform's AI tool Grok being used to create a wave of sexualised and violent deepfakes -- including those of children. In early 2026, X finally offered more protections against these deepfakes. However, several investigations were launched globally including in the UK, Europe, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India, suspecting criminal offences. As of April 2026, X is still under investigation in France for (per the BBC) "complicity in possession or organised distribution of child sexual abuse material, infringement of people's image rights with sexual deepfakes and suspected fraudulent data extraction by an organised group." Musk's xAI is also facing a lawsuit from teens in California for the creation of sexually explicit images. Swift has not taken legal action against X for deepfakes to date. In general, we're moving into unchartered waters with real humans trademarking their own likeness to protect themselves against AI clones and deepfakes -- and it's getting awkward in Hollywood.

Taylor Swift files trademarks for voice and image amid concern over AI misuse

The singer's company filed three applications on Friday after Matthew McConaughey launched similar strategy Taylor Swift has filed applications to trademark her voice and image in a move seemingly designed to protect against AI misuse. On 24 April, Swift's company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications, Variety reports. Two of these are sound trademarks which cover Swift saying the phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor." The third application seeks to trademark the well-known shot of Swift on stage during her Eras Tour, describing "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multi-colored microphone with purple lights in the background." The move comes after Matthew McConaughey trademarked his famous "All right, all right, all right" catchphrase from 1993's Dazed and Confused in addition to other unauthorized uses of his image and voice this January. "My team and I want to know that when my voice or likeness is ever used, it's because I approved and signed off on it," McConaughey said in a statement. "We want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world." Swift's likeness has been used in many AI images and deepfakes, including fake AI-created sexually explicit images. In 2024, Donald Trump posted numerous AI images to Truth Social that falsely showed Swift endorsing him for president. The Guardian has approached a representative for Swift for comment. "Attempting to register a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in court before," said the intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben in a blogpost. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music," he added. "But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill. "By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are 'confusingly similar', a key standard in trademark law." Swift owns more than 50 trademarks related to her name and album titles as well as key song lyrics. In 2014, she registered trademarks for "This sick beat" and "We never go out of style", phrases that appear in her hit songs Shake It Off and Style. In 2024 she trademarked Female Rage: The Musical, referring to an Eras Tour segment in which she performed songs from her album The Tortured Poets Department.

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice and image to save from potential AI misuse | Fortune

Two of the applications filed Friday are sound trademarks covering her voice, one of her saying "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and the other is "Hey, it's Taylor." The third application is for a visual trademark, described in the filing as "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multicolored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multicolored microphone with purple lights in the background." The filings were made on behalf on Swift's TAS Rights Management. All three have been approved and are currently awaiting assignment to an examining attorney. The Associated Press has reached out to a representative for Swift as well as Rebecca Liebowitz, partner at law firm Venable, who is listed as the attorney on the filings. Requests for comment were not immediately returned. News of Swift's new trademark filings made the rounds on Monday after first being noticed by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. In a blog post shared Monday, Gerben theorized that the trademarks are "specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence," in response to growing concerns that AI could challenge celebrities' abilities to control their voices and likenesses without their consent. In his post, Gerben explained that "Right of Publicity" laws -- which protect celebrities from having their images or likenesses used to sell products without their permission -- offer some protection against unauthorized use of a celebrity's likeness, but trademark filings like Swift's can offer additional protection. Swift has been a target of AI misuse in the past. Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix. In another instance, the superstar was shown in a fake endorsement of President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, which the then-candidate reposted and shared as genuine. "The Life of a Showgirl" singer is not the only celebrity to pursue these kinds of trademarks. In January, attorneys for actor Matthew McConaughey secured eight trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office including a sound trademark of his catchphrase "Alright, alright, alright." Attorneys for the entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, which represented McConaughey, told Variety the trademarks were filed in an attempt to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized use by AI, and to protect him in developing new opportunities using AI. Last year, McConaughey made a deal with voice-cloning company ElevenLabs that will allow its artificial intelligence technology to replicate his voice.

Taylor Swift Seeks Trademarks for Her Voice and Image to Fight AI Fakes - Decrypt

Matthew McConaughey previously used a similar legal strategy. Taylor Swift is moving to protect her voice and image from misuse by artificial intelligence through a new legal strategy, according to a report from Variety. On Friday, Swift's company, TAS Rights Management, filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Two are sound trademarks covering the phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor." The third is a visual trademark covering a specific image of Swift performing on stage. The filings come after AI-generated fakes have repeatedly targeted Swift. "Very broadly, trademarks can be used to protect distinctive sounds and visuals and the name, image, and likeness of an individual insofar as it's used in conjunction with goods or services, meaning that Taylor Swift's use of trademark law here is fairly normal," Kirk Sigmon, founding partner at IP and Technology law firm KellDann Law, told Decrypt. "The unique thing here is the use to protect against AI misuse. Pragmatically, these efforts might be useful to protect herself against misuse from other identifiable actors, such as companies using AI to falsely suggest she endorses a product or service," he said. In 2024, then-candidate Donald Trump shared fabricated images on Truth Social suggesting Swift and her fans supported his presidential campaign. The incident led to Swift publicly endorsing Kamala Harris for president. In 2025, Elon Musk's xAI faced backlash after Grok generated nude images of Swift despite the company's rules banning pornographic depictions of real people. Still, Sigmon said, enforcing those rights online may prove more difficult in practice. "It might be surprisingly difficult for her to enforce her rights against AI misuse on the internet writ large, because those creating salacious content with her image are likely doing so anonymously, making them harder to track down," Sigmon said. Swift's move follows a similar action by actor Matthew McConaughey, who secured trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in January, including protections for his signature phrase "alright, alright, alright" from the movie "Dazed and Confused." While trademark law has so far not been used to protect a person's general likeness, voice, or persona in court, legal experts say the filings reflect growing concern in the entertainment industry over AI tools capable of replicating artists without consent. However, Swift's level of celebrity may prove to be her greatest asset in getting the trademark approved. "Taylor Swift is very recognizable in many ways, including but not limited to her voice and overall image," Sigmon said. "One might quibble about the amount of distinctiveness she could argue, but that isn't likely to outright prevent her from a trademark. It's also likely she'll have an easy time showing that her [name, image, and likeness] is associated with a good or service -- for instance, her music, fan goods, etc."

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice and image amid rise in AI deepfakes

Journalist Jo Ling Kent joined CBS News in July 2023 as the senior business and technology correspondent for CBS News. Kent has more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of technology and business in the U.S., as well as the emergence of China as a global economic power. Taylor Swift has taken steps to protect herself in the age of artificial intelligence by trademarking her voice and likeness, adding a layer of protection against copycats. Swift's company on Friday filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Two applications cover her voice speaking the phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and "Hey, it's Taylor." The third trademark application applies to an image of the pop star posing on stage holding a guitar. Intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben IP, who first spotted the filings, told CBS News that he believes celebrities could require such protections as AI tools make it easy to generate audio, visual and video content known as "deepfakes," which can depict a famous person doing or saying things they never did and might not condone. "Now, anyone can spin up a version of an artist's voice, have it say anything, attach it to anything, and distribute it at scale. And the scary part? It doesn't have to be an exact copy to cause damage," Gerben said in a blog post on the trademark applications. He told CBS News he expects Swift's actions to kick off a flurry of similar filings. He called Swift a "leader in the intellectual property space" and said he expects other public figures to take similar steps. "I think she is seeing a trend where AI is being used to create images, to create audio, to create deepfakes of things that are really not pleasant," he said. "And the idea is how can celebrities and people that have a certain level of fame go to these platforms and say, 'Hey, you can't let your algorithm or your AI create these things.'" Actor Matthew McConaughey similarly filed to trademark his iconic line as David Wooderson in "Dazed and Confused," "Alright, alright, alright." "So the fact that they are doing this is going to set an example that a lot of people are going to follow," Gerben said. Existing trademark laws can help curb copycats, and also apply to content that could be mistaken for the original, trademarked material. But laws on the books were written before sophisticated AI technologies became commercially available, Gerben noted.

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice and likeness in era of AI deepfakes

Taylor Swift performs in Portugal in 2024. Pedro Gomes / Getty Images for TAS Rights Management file Taylor Swift is taking new steps to protect her voice and likeness from AI misuse. The global pop superstar on Friday filed trademark applications for two audio clips of her voice. In one, she says: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." In the other, she says in a lower register: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on Oct. 3 and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." Swift also filed for a third trademark to protect an image of her onstage, wearing one of her signature sparkly bodysuits and strumming a pink guitar. The Grammy winner has been the target of numerous deepfakes in recent years. Fake clips of her promoting a brand of cookware have tricked fans online, sexually suggestive deepfakes of her have gone viral on social media, and even President Donald Trump shared manipulated photos of her supporting his candidacy. Swift is one of many celebrities confronting the issue as AI content generation tools become ever more sophisticated, even as AI companies add guardrails to prevent harmful uses of their models. In January, Matthew McConaughey became the first A-lister to file a series of trademarks -- including images, video and audio of himself -- to protect his own likeness as AI-generated deepfakes become increasingly realistic and easy to create. AI experts have suggested that individual trademarks from celebrities like Swift could become more common as stars attempt to attain stronger legal standing to sue if their likenesses were replicated without explicit permission. Sound marks, or trademarks of distinctive audio cues, have historically been filed to protect iconic brand sounds such as MGM's lion roar, NBC's chimes or the Pillsbury Doughboy's giggle. But trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first reported Swift's new trademark applications, wrote in a blog post that "attempting to register a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in court before." "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music. But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill," Gerben wrote. "By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are 'confusingly similar,' a key standard in trademark law." Swift has filed hundreds of trademarks throughout her career, but most have aimed to protect her name, lyrics, merchandise and other components of her brand identity. This appears to be the first instance Swift has pursued sound mark protection. The attorney listed on the applications, Rebecca Liebowitz, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Swift also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Celebrities continue to sound the alarm over AI misuse, with some calling for stronger protections. In 2023, Scarlett Johansson's attorney demanded that an AI app stop using her likeness in an advertisement. The actor also called out OpenAI in 2024 for using an "eerily similar" voice to hers for their GPT-4o chatbot despite having declined the company's request to provide her voice. OpenAI subsequently announced it would no longer be using the voice, but did not indicate why. In 2024, Tom Hanks called out the "multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracle cures and wonder drugs." "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston raised similar concerns last year about OpenAI's Sora 2 product and its ability to replicate his and other celebrities' likenesses without permission. (OpenAI announced last month that was shutting down its Sora video creation app). In January, more than 700 creatives, including Johansson, Cate Blanchett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, backed a campaign called "Stealing Isn't Innovation." Organized by a coalition called The Human Artistry Campaign (composed of a mix of unions representing creators, artists' rights groups and trade associations), the movement calls on tech companies to stop training their generative AI tools on copyrighted works without express permission from creatives. As likeness protection becomes a growing concern for public figures, some companies appear eager to partner on the issue. Last week, YouTube unveiled a deal with several talent agencies that would open up its proprietary deepfake detection tool to celebrities and entertainers, who can now more easily request their unauthorized likenesses be removed from the platform. AI also appears to be making inroads with entertainers, with some cautiously leaning into the technology as it becomes more mainstream.

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice amid AI clone boom

New York (AFP) - Taylor Swift has filed applications with the US intellectual property office to trademark her voice, a move similar to one made by actor Matthew McConaughey, as AI-generated content surges. The singer submitted two sound recordings to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Each begins with "Hey, it's Taylor" and announces the release of her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl," which was released in early October. Another document submitted to the USPTO on Friday was a photo of the artist on stage. The submissions were first spotted by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. The filings give no further details about the submission. Contacted by AFP, Taylor Swift's publicist did not immediately respond. McConaughey has in recent years pursued an application with the USPTO, framed as protection against the unauthorized use of his voice by AI models. They include audio of him saying "Alright, alright, alright!" -- his memorable line from the 1993 film "Dazed and Confused" -- along with audio of him saying "Just keep livin', right?" followed by additional short phrases. Advances in AI models now make it possible to synthesize a voice in seconds from a short clip, whereas just a few years ago the process required lengthy recordings and several days. Many artists are increasingly concerned about the unchecked use of their image and voice by AI platforms. Several US states have passed laws prohibiting such use, though many apply primarily to malicious or commercial exploitation. Only a few -- notably the ELVIS Act passed by Tennessee's state legislature in 2024 -- offer broader protections. Few performers have turned to the courts to assert their rights. The most notable example is Scarlett Johansson, who sued the app Lisa AI in 2023 for creating, without her consent, an AI avatar in her likeness for use in an advertisement.

Experts Explain How Taylor Swift's Trademark Strategy Could Redefine AI Rights | Newswise

Newswise -- As AI voice-cloning technology and deepfakes become more prevalent, Taylor Swift is making a strategic legal move that could redefine how celebrities protect their legacies. Her recent trademark applications signal a shift in the battle against unauthorized AI content that moves beyond standard copyright. Cayce Myers, a media law and communications expert at Virginia Tech, says these trademark filings are a possible solution to a very real issue as the technology advances. "Trademark and copyright protection are something many artists have struggled with for decades because of digital media's structure and user infringement," Myers said. "AI amplifies that concern because of its ease of generating new content through voice cloning and deepfakes. The accessibility of this technology also makes these trademark concerns, like Swift's, particularly troubling for artists who rely on their voice for revenue and licensing." Myers explained that trademark works differently from copyright, namely because its duration can be forever, so long as the mark is protected. "Copyright gives protection of life of the author plus 70 years for individually owned copyrights and 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation (whichever is shorter) for works for hire." Julia Feerrar, a digital literacy expert, explained that trademarking phrases or visuals does not directly limit what AI systems can do, in a technical sense. "Some AI tools already refuse to answer prompts to generate images of real people, but the status of these kinds of guardrails has evolved. It will be interesting to see if this kind of legal approach from people like Taylor Swift has any long-term effect on technical guardrails or other practices from AI companies." When it comes to the technical safeguards available, like watermarking or detection tools, Feerrar said she is wary of approaches that rely on AI to identify AI. "While technical safeguards may be pieces of the puzzle, they also have shortcomings, especially for wide public use," she said. "There have been cases where researchers were able to destroy watermarks and where detection tools proved to be unreliable." Feerrar said that any time actual people are represented in AI-generated content, it raises serious questions about individual rights and responsibilities, but also about our ability to discern what's real and what's not. "We all can be vulnerable to AI-generated and other misleading content. So much is created to appeal to our emotions, whether that's shock, anger, or excitement," she said. "While I want people to be equipped with the skills to deal with questionable content, we also need to recognize the limitations of individual approaches. This is where law and policy implications should come into play." About Myers Cayce Myers is the director of graduate studies and a professor at the School of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. His work focuses on legal issues affecting communication practice and he has recently published on issues related to campaign finance, the origins of campaign consulting, and media regulation. He specializes in media history, political communication, and laws that affect public relations practice. About Feerrar Julia Feerrar is a librarian and digital literacy educator. She is an associate professor at the University Libraries at Virginia Tech and head of the Digital Literacy Initiatives. Her interests include digital well-being, combating mis/disinformation, and digital citizenship. Read more here. Schedule an interview To schedule an interview, contact the Virginia Tech Media Relations Office at [email protected].

Celebrities like Taylor Swift are setting the guardrails for the AI age

Taylor Swift recently filed a series of trademark applications designed to protect the star from AI-enabled impersonations. Swift already holds a wide array of trademarks, but these latest filings, at least one intellectual property firm suggests, serve a new purpose: protecting the timbre and character of her voice itself through what is known as a "sound mark." In two recent filings, posted April 24 by Swift's company, the celebrity applied to trademark two recordings. In one, she says, "Hey, it's Taylor," and in the other, "Hey, it's Taylor Swift." The recordings themselves are not particularly novel, but that is likely beside the point. "The concept of protecting sound as a trademark is not new, though it remains relatively rare," wrote Josh Gerben, the Gerben IP attorney that spotted the trademarks on the law firm's website. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music. But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill." Gerben added that, in theory, if an AI-generated imitation of Swift's voice became the subject of litigation, she could argue that uses resembling her registered vocal trademarks infringe on her intellectual property rights.

Taylor Swift files 3 new trademark applications. One expert says it is to curb AI threats

NEW YORK (AP) -- Taylor Swift filed three new trademark applications with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, a move one legal expert theorizes it is to protect her voice and image from potential misuse through artificial intelligence. Two of the applications filed Friday are sound trademarks covering her voice, one of her saying "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and the other is "Hey, it's Taylor." The third application is for a visual trademark, described in the filing as "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multicolored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multicolored microphone with purple lights in the background." The filings were made on behalf on Swift's TAS Rights Management. All three have been approved and are currently awaiting assignment to an examining attorney. The Associated Press has reached out to a representative for Swift as well as Rebecca Liebowitz, partner at law firm Venable, who is listed as the attorney on the filings. Requests for comment were not immediately returned. News of Swift's new trademark filings made the rounds on Monday after first being noticed by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. In a blog post shared Monday, Gerben theorized that the trademarks are "specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence," in response to growing concerns that AI could challenge celebrities' abilities to control their voices and likenesses without their consent. In his post, Gerben explained that "Right of Publicity" laws -- which protect celebrities from having their images or likenesses used to sell products without their permission -- offer some protection against unauthorized use of a celebrity's likeness, but trademark filings like Swift's can offer additional protection. Swift has been a target of AI misuse in the past. Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix. In another instance, the superstar was shown in a fake endorsement of President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, which the then-candidate reposted and shared as genuine. "The Life of a Showgirl" singer is not the only celebrity to pursue these kinds of trademarks. In January, attorneys for actor Matthew McConaughey secured eight trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office including a sound trademark of his catchphrase "Alright, alright, alright." Attorneys for the entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, which represented McConaughey, told Variety the trademarks were filed in an attempt to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized use by AI, and to protect him in developing new opportunities using AI. Last year, McConaughey made a deal with voice-cloning company ElevenLabs that will allow its artificial intelligence technology to replicate his voice.

Taylor Swift Files 3 New Trademark Applications. One Expert Says It Is to Curb AI Threats

NEW YORK (AP) -- Taylor Swift filed three new trademark applications with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, a move one legal expert theorizes it is to protect her voice and image from potential misuse through artificial intelligence. Two of the applications filed Friday are sound trademarks covering her voice, one of her saying "Hey, it's Taylor Swift," and the other is "Hey, it's Taylor." The third application is for a visual trademark, described in the filing as "a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multicolored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multicolored microphone with purple lights in the background." The filings were made on behalf on Swift's TAS Rights Management. All three have been approved and are currently awaiting assignment to an examining attorney. The Associated Press has reached out to a representative for Swift as well as Rebecca Liebowitz, partner at law firm Venable, who is listed as the attorney on the filings. Requests for comment were not immediately returned. News of Swift's new trademark filings made the rounds on Monday after first being noticed by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. In a blog post shared Monday, Gerben theorized that the trademarks are "specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence," in response to growing concerns that AI could challenge celebrities' abilities to control their voices and likenesses without their consent. In his post, Gerben explained that "Right of Publicity" laws -- which protect celebrities from having their images or likenesses used to sell products without their permission -- offer some protection against unauthorized use of a celebrity's likeness, but trademark filings like Swift's can offer additional protection. Swift has been a target of AI misuse in the past. Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix. In another instance, the superstar was shown in a fake endorsement of President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, which the then-candidate reposted and shared as genuine. "The Life of a Showgirl" singer is not the only celebrity to pursue these kinds of trademarks. In January, attorneys for actor Matthew McConaughey secured eight trademarks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office including a sound trademark of his catchphrase "Alright, alright, alright." Attorneys for the entertainment law firm Yorn Levine, which represented McConaughey, told Variety the trademarks were filed in an attempt to protect his voice and likeness from unauthorized use by AI, and to protect him in developing new opportunities using AI. Last year, McConaughey made a deal with voice-cloning company ElevenLabs that will allow its artificial intelligence technology to replicate his voice.

Taylor Swift moves to protect voice, image from AI misuse

Taylor Swift is taking new steps to protect her voice and image in the age of artificial intelligence. The pop superstar's company, TAS Rights Management, filed multiple new trademark applications on April 24, including filings tied to the way Swift introduces herself and a signature concert image associated with the Eras Tour. One filing seeks protection for the spoken phrase "Hey, it's Taylor," a move that could help Swift challenge AI-generated clips or unauthorized uses of her voice online. "Taylor's trademark filings suggest a broader shift in how celebrities are applying trademark law to fight back against AI," intellectual property and trademark attorney Josh Gerben wrote on his blog. "Taylor Swift isn't merely trying to trademark a catchphrase -- she's seeking federal protection for the sound of her own voice saying it." As AI-generated songs, videos and manipulated content continue to spread online, artists and actors have increasingly found their voices and likenesses used without permission. Swift herself has already been at the center of the debate. In January 2024, nonconsensual, seemingly AI-generated explicit images falsely depicting the singer-songwriter spread online, prompting outrage from fans and renewed calls for stronger federal protections against AI abuse. The platform X temporarily blocked searches for Swift's name as it worked to remove the content. "The Life of a Showgirl" singer was also dragged into AI-generated political content in August 2024. Then-presidential candidate Donald Trump shared a series of suspected AI-generated images on Truth Social suggesting that Swift and her fanbase supported his campaign. This happened despite the singer previously voicing opposition to Trump. One image showed Swift dressed as Uncle Sam with the words, "Taylor wants you to vote for Donald Trump." "Musicians and actors have increasingly found their voices and images used in unauthorized videos, songs, and digital content that is created by AI and circulated online," Gerben wrote. Swift's team also filed to protect a specific visual image: Swift holding a pink guitar while wearing a shimmering multicolored bodysuit and silver boots onstage. The image is closely tied to recent performances and promotional materials connected to her record-shattering tour. "Now, anyone can spin up a version of an artist's voice, have it say anything, attach it to anything, and distribute it at scale," Gerben wrote. "And the scary part? It doesn't have to be an exact copy to cause damage." The broader fight over AI protections is also playing out in Washington. In December, Trump signed an executive order aimed at limiting states from creating and enforcing their own AI laws, a move that could affect protections such as Tennessee's ELVIS Act for artists' voices and likenesses. By filing trademarks around both her voice and a recognizable concert visuals, Swift appears to be building new legal protections around key parts of her brand. Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat. Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.

Taylor Swift Just Trademarked Herself to Fight Back Against AI. What Does It Mean for Celebrities?

As AI-generated impersonations become more convincing -- and more widespread -- public figures are starting to consider how they can legally protect their image and likeness. Taylor Swift is the latest to test a new line of defense. On April 24, Swift's company filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, according to Variety. Two target her voice, seeking protection for the phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor." The third covers a highly specific visual: Swift holding a pink guitar on a pink stage, dressed in an iridescent bodysuit and silver boots. Traditional trademark protections were never meant to cover a person's general likeness or voice, and while right-of-publicity laws in states like New York and California restrict unauthorized commercial use, they remain fragmented and harder to enforce at scale. AI has exposed those limitations, making it easier than ever to replicate a person's voice or image without permission, and to distribute it instantly.

Taylor Swift Moves to Trademark Voice, Image to Combat AI Deepfakes

Actor Matthew McConaughey had also filed for similar trademarks Musician Taylor Swift has reportedly filed to trademark her voice and image. As per reports, the move comes amid rising artificial intelligence (AI)-generated deepfakes that, in particular, have affected celebrities and public figures. The pop superstar is said to have filed applications to trademark two samples of her audio and an image of her performing on the stage during her Eras tour. The application is currently in the review period, and the US government body will have to decide if the audio sample qualifies for trademark. Taylor Swift Moves to Trademark Her Likeness According to Reuters, the pop superstar filed separate applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office (US PTO) on Friday via her TAS Rights Management, which has already filed more than 300 trademark applications in just the US. The filed applications are said to include two voice samples and one image. In the first audio clip, Swift reportedly says, "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited. The second clip reportedly says, "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on October 3, and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." Finally, the image she has filed for trademark is said to be taken from the recent Eras Tour, where she can be seen holding a pink guitar with a black strap, wearing a multicoloured outfit and boots with silver accents. Trademark lawyer Josh Gerben said in a blog post that Swift likely went for a trademark, since copyright does not protect voice or likeness as it is not considered a "work of authorship" fixed in a tangible medium. In the US, the "Right of Publicity" law offers some protection from unauthorised use of likeness; however, trademarks provide the strongest protection and cover a wider spectrum. Since AI learns from the audio clips and images, and can reproduce them in unique content, standard copyright protection is insufficient. To give an example, Swift's song "The Fate of Ophelia" can be copyrighted, protecting her from unauthorised use of the music, lyrics, or the original composition. However, if the song is fed to a large language model (LLM), which then uses the voice itself to generate a completely new song, that will not be protected under either the copyright laws in the US or the Right of Publicity laws. But a trademark violation lawsuit can be filed in court for this. Notably, actor Matthew McConaughey successfully filed trademarks for his likeness, including his iconic dialogue from the movie Dazed and Confused, "Alright, alright, alright." However, since it is such a new territory, and voice trademarks are very rare, the lawyer highlighted that a strong case might be needed for the court to rule in favour of the defendant.

Is Taylor Swift's New Trademark Move Meant To Protect Her From AI Abuse?

The Associated Press has reached out to a representative for Swift as well as Rebecca Liebowitz, partner at law firm Venable, who is listed as the attorney on the filings. Requests for comment were not immediately returned. News of Swift's new trademark filings made the rounds on Monday after first being noticed by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben. In a blog post shared Monday, Gerben theorized that the trademarks are "specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence," in response to growing concerns that AI could challenge celebrities' abilities to control their voices and likenesses without their consent.

Taylor Swift Files to Trademark Her Voice and Likeness in Era of AI Deepfakes

Taylor Swift performs on May 24, 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal.Pedro Gomes / Getty Images for TAS Rights Management file Taylor Swift is taking new steps to protect her voice and likeness from AI misuse. The global pop superstar on Friday filed trademark applications for two audio clips of her voice. In one, she says: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." In the other, she says in a lower register: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on Oct. 3 and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." Swift also filed for a third trademark to protect an image of her onstage, wearing one of her signature sparkly bodysuits and strumming a pink guitar. The Grammy winner has been the target of numerous deepfakes in recent years. Fake clips of her promoting a brand of cookware have tricked fans online, sexually suggestive deepfakes of her have gone viral on social media, and even President Donald Trump shared manipulated photos of her supporting his candidacy. Swift is one of many celebrities confronting the issue as AI content generation tools become ever more sophisticated, even as AI companies add guardrails to prevent harmful uses of their models. In January, Matthew McConaughey became the first A-lister to file a series of trademarks -- including images, video and audio of himself -- to protect his own likeness as AI-generated deepfakes become increasingly realistic and easy to create. AI experts have suggested that individual trademarks from celebrities like Swift could become more common as stars attempt to attain stronger legal standing to sue if their likenesses were replicated without explicit permission. Sound marks, or trademarks of distinctive audio cues, have historically been filed to protect iconic brand sounds such as MGM's lion roar, NBC's chimes or the Pillsbury Doughboy's giggle. But trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first reported Swift's new trademark applications, wrote in a blog post that "attempting to register a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in court before." "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music. But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill," Gerben wrote. "By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are 'confusingly similar,' a key standard in trademark law." Swift has filed hundreds of trademarks throughout her career, but most have aimed to protect her name, lyrics, merchandise and other components of her brand identity. This appears to be the first instance Swift has pursued sound mark protection. The attorney listed on the applications, Rebecca Liebowitz, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Swift also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Celebrities continue to sound the alarm over AI misuse, with some calling for stronger protections. In 2023, Scarlett Johansson's attorney demanded that an AI app stop using her likeness in an advertisement. The actor also called out OpenAI in 2024 for using an "eerily similar" voice to hers for their GPT-4o chatbot despite having declined the company's request to provide her voice. OpenAI subsequently announced it would no longer be using the voice, but did not indicate why. In 2024, Tom Hanks called out the "multiple ads over the internet falsely using my name, likeness, and voice promoting miracle cures and wonder drugs." "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston raised similar concerns last year about OpenAI's Sora 2 product and its ability to replicate his and other celebrities' likenesses without permission. (OpenAI announced last month that was shutting down its Sora video creation app). In January, more than 700 creatives, including Johansson, Cate Blanchett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, backed a campaign called "Stealing Isn't Innovation." Organized by a coalition called The Human Artistry Campaign (composed of a mix of unions representing creators, artists' rights groups and trade associations), the movement calls on tech companies to stop training their generative AI tools on copyrighted works without express permission from creatives. As likeness protection becomes a growing concern for public figures, some companies appear eager to partner on the issue. Last week, YouTube unveiled a deal with several talent agencies that would open up its proprietary deepfake detection tool to celebrities and entertainers, who can now more easily request their unauthorized likenesses be removed from the platform. AI also appears to be making inroads with entertainers, with some cautiously leaning into the technology as it becomes more mainstream.

Taylor Swift Files Sound and Image Trademarks as AI Deepfake Concerns Grow

Bravo Is Investigating How Heated Audio of 'Summer House' Reunion Leaked Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications pertaining to her voice and image amid continued concerns in the entertainment world over the rise of artificial intelligence and potential misuses of the evolving technology. The singer's company, TAS Rights Management, filed three applications on Friday (April 24) with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. One is an image of Swift performing during The Eras Tour, and the other two are sound trademarks, covering the phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor." (The applications were first noted by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben.) A rep for Swift did not immediately return a request for comment. Swift is following in the footsteps of actor Matthew McConaughey, who filed eight similar trademarks over the past several months to protect his famous Texan drawl and image. McConaughey's attorneys submitted applications of the Oscar winner saying his iconic line "alright, alright, alright!" from the 1993 comedy Dazed and Confused, and staring into the camera. In many states, celebrities receive protections under "Right of Publicity" laws, which prevent unauthorized uses their name or likeness. As Gerben noted in his blog post about Swift's applications, filing for trademarks can "provide an additional layer of protection," especially when there still isn't a strong legal framework for dealing with misuses of AI. (The NO FAKES Act, designed to protect people's voices and visual likeness from being exploited with AI, was introduced in Congress a couple years ago, but remains under committee consideration.) As one of music's biggest stars with an international fanbase, Swift has already contended with more sinister uses of AI. In early 2024, the social media platform X temporarily blocked users from searching her name on the site after AI-generated explicit images depicting Swift began circulating. That same year, Donald Trump shared AI-generated images that suggested Swift backed his campaign in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, prompting her to address the use of her image without her consent. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation," Swift wrote on Instagram as she endorsed Kamala Harris for president. "It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth."

Taylor Swift's identity under siege? Pop icon takes legal action as AI deepfakes spiral out of control -- Is this a preemptive strike against AI misuse?

Singer Taylor Swift has filed new trademarks for her voice and image. This move comes as concerns about AI deepfakes and misuse of celebrity likenesses rise. Swift's company filed applications for her performing image and specific spoken phrases. This action offers an extra layer of protection against unauthorized AI exploitation. As artificial intelligence continues to blur the line between real and fake, Taylor Swift is taking steps to safeguard her identity. The global pop star has quietly filed new trademark applications, signaling growing concern over how AI could misuse celebrity voices and likenesses. The move comes at a time when deepfakes and synthetic media are becoming harder to detect. ALSO READ: Quote of the Day by Confucius: 'The man who asks a question is a fool for...' -- Inspiring quotes by the ancient Chinese philosopher renowned for aphorisms Taylor Swift has filed new trademarks to protect her voice and image from AI misuse. The move follows a rise in deepfakes targeting celebrities, including fake ads and manipulated content. Experts say such filings could offer stronger legal protection as artificial intelligence blurs the line between real and synthetic media. According to reports from NBC News, Swift filed applications covering two distinct audio clips of her voice. In one, she says: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." The second recording features a slightly different tone: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on Oct. 3 and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." Alongside the audio filings, she also submitted a trademark for an image of herself performing on stage, dressed in a glittering bodysuit and playing a pink guitar, as quoted in a report by NBC News. Swift's company, TAS Rights Management, submitted three applications to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office on April 24. One filing focuses on an image of the singer performing during The Eras Tour. These filings were first highlighted by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben, as per a report by Rolling Stone. ALSO READ: Roman proverb of the Day: 'When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be...' -- The powerful morning reflection that reminds you life itself is a gift Swift isn't alone in this approach. Matthew McConaughey has also filed multiple trademarks in recent months to protect both his voice and image. His filings include his well-known line from the film Dazed and Confused -- "alright, alright, alright!" -- as well as visual likeness rights. While many states already have "Right of Publicity" laws, these mainly guard against unauthorized commercial use of a person's name or image. As Gerben noted, trademarks can add another layer of protection, especially as legal systems struggle to keep pace with AI-driven misuse, as per a report by Rolling Stone. Proposed legislation like the NO FAKES Act aims to address these concerns but remains under review in Congress. Swift has already faced the darker side of AI. In early 2024, the platform X temporarily blocked searches for her name after explicit AI-generated images began circulating online. The same year, Donald Trump shared AI-generated visuals suggesting Swift supported his campaign during the 2024 presidential race. The incident prompted Swift to speak out publicly, as per a report by Rolling Stone. "It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation," she wrote on Instagram while endorsing Kamala Harris for president. "It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth." ALSO READ: Greenlandic proverb of the Day: 'When you've come so far that you can't take another step...' -- The Greenlandic Proverb that redefines human endurance Experts suggest this approach could open a new legal pathway. Trademark attorney Josh Gerben noted that registering a voice as a trademark is largely untested in court. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music. But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill," Gerben wrote, as quoted in a report by NBC News. He added, "By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are 'confusingly similar,' a key standard in trademark law." The growing concern has also sparked wider action. More than 700 creatives have backed campaigns calling for stronger protections, while platforms like YouTube are introducing tools to help detect and remove deepfake content. Swift's latest filings underline a broader shift across the entertainment industry, where protecting a voice or face is no longer just about branding, but about staying ahead of technology that can replicate both in seconds. What trademarks has Taylor Swift filed? She filed for her voice phrases and an image from her Eras Tour performance. Why is she doing this now? Concerns over AI misuse and deepfake content have been increasing.

Taylor Swift Files to Trademark Her Voice, Likeness to Ward off AI Deepfakes

April 27 (Reuters) - Pop superstar Taylor Swift filed ⁠trademark ⁠applications for two audio clips and ⁠one image of herself in what a trademark attorney said is an attempt to protect her voice and likeness from deepfake videos and audio created by artificial intelligence. The applications were filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday and list Swift's TAS Rights Management as being the owner of the audio clips and image. A ⁠spokesperson for ⁠Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, nor did lawyers who were listed on the filings. In one of the audio clips, Swift is heard saying: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." The second clip says: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on October ⁠3 ⁠and you can click to ⁠presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." The image Swift is seeking to trademark is of her onstage in a sequined outfit, ⁠pink guitar in hand. Swift's image and voice have been used in countless AI-generated deepfakes - from false advertising to fake political endorsements to explicit images. Actor Matthew McConaughey has had similar filings approved. He told the Wall Street Journal in January that "we want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm ⁠in an AI world." Trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first publicized that Swift made the applications ⁠on his blog on Monday, wrote that they "are specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence." "While existing 'Right of Publicity' laws offer some protection against unauthorized use of a famous individual's likeness, trademark filings can provide an additional layer of protection," Gerben wrote. Gerben added that registering a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in courts. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music," Gerben wrote. "But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without ⁠copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill." Gerben said the photo Swift is seeking to trademark serves a similar purpose. "By protecting a distinctive visual, down to Swift's commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, Swift's team may gain additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness," he wrote. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Colorado; Editing by Donna Bryson and Bill Berkrot)

Taylor Swift Files New Trademarks For Voice And Likeness To Combat 'Threats' Posed By AI

Taylor Swift has taken a new legal step to protect her identity by seeking trademark rights for her voice and image as artificial intelligence deepfakes become increasingly sophisticated. Swift Expands Legal Defense Against AI Misuse According to filings submitted Friday to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Swift's TAS Rights Management applied to trademark two promotional audio clips featuring her voice, along with an image of the pop star performing onstage with a pink guitar. The audio clips promote her 2025 album, "The Life of a Showgirl" and could help establish broader legal protections against unauthorized AI-generated content that imitates her voice. In a blog post, trademark attorney Josh Gerben said the filings are "specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence." Why Trademark Law Could Become A New AI Battleground Gerben noted that while right-of-publicity laws already offer some defense, trademarks may provide "an additional layer of protection" in combating fake endorsements, false advertisements and manipulated media. "AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill," Gerben wrote. Celebrity Identity Protection In The AI Era Swift's filing follows similar moves by actor Matthew McConaughey, who in January told the Wall Street Journal that creating "a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world." Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo Courtesy: A.PAES on Shutterstock.com Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Taylor Swift Is Filing for Trademarks to Combat AI Misuse. Will It Work?

Netflix In Final Talks to Buy Radford Studio Lot at Around $330 Million Price Tag Taylor Swift is looking to add to her portfolio of trademarks, a legal move that appears to be aimed at pushing back against unauthorized artificial intelligence productions. Two of the trademark applications, filed on Friday, seek protection of her voice. They feature clips of her saying "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor." A third, meant to combat AI images created on the internet using AI, features a photograph of the singer holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored bodysuit with silver boots. The trademarks represent a new avenue celebrities are pursuing to challenge AI companies and users simulating their likenesses and voices without permission. Earlier this year, Matthew McConaughey had several trademark applications approved, including audio of him saying "Alright, alright, alright," his iconic line from the movie Dazed and Confused and another that shows him standing on a porch. A patchwork of right of publicity laws are meant to protect celebrities from having their brands stolen to advertise products. Several states, however, don't maintain such laws, making enforcement difficult. With the trademarks, Swift and McConaughey likely hope that the specter of federal lawsuits will deter misuse. For Swift, she can hypothetically argue that AI creations using her voice and image violate her intellectual property rights. Still, the theory remains untested. Although trademarks protect against similar reproductions that can confuse consumers, they're not meant to be utilized as a catch-all protecting every feature of a performer's brand. "I don't believe it will be very effective, except for in rare circumstances," says Matthew Asbell, an intellectual property lawyer at Lippes Mathias. "The voice trademarks are particularly limited to what Taylor is actually staying: 'Hey, it's Taylor' or 'Hey, it's Taylor Swift.'" The upshot: the phrase featured in Swift's trademark bid is more important than the singer's voice. "So, unless another party uses [her] voice to say the same thing or something very similar, it should be difficult to use these trademarks to enforce against them," Asbell adds. The same problem applies to Swift's application covering her photograph. Any infringing reproduction would have to utilize a similar image for the trademark, if it's granted, to have much use. There's also the issue of whether the phrase, "Hey, it's Taylor," is well-known enough to rise to the level of protection. The singer is megafamous, but the line doesn't appear to be. Last year, an AI-generated version of Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia," entered Spotify's Top 50 chart in Brazil before being removed. The track used AI to blend Swift's voice with synthetic audio modeled after top Brazilian singers. Even if Swift is granted her most recent trademarks, there are few avenues for creators to challenge AI reproductions across borders.

Taylor Swift takes a landmark stand against AI deepfakes

The star joins Matthew McConaughey in a new frontier to protect their likeness. Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and likeness in a bid to protect her identity from AI abduction. The pop singer's identity has already been used in countless AI deepfake examples, from indecent imagery to fake political promo, and with the technology only getting more refined, it's no surprise the star has finally decided to take action against AI misuse. Swift is not the first celebrity to seek legal protection of her likeness; earlier this year, actor Matthew McConaughey attempted to use trademark rules to protect his voice and image from AI misuse. The increasing number of celebrities seeking protection against AI proves that the technology's unregulated rise is quickly becoming a concerning threat. Swift has filed three trademark applications - one using a photo of herself on stage during her Eras Tour, and the other two are audio clips of her introducing herself while promoting her last album, The Life Of A Showgirl. Graeme Murray, trademark attorney at intellectual property law firm Marks & Clerk, explains, "As generative AI makes deepfakes and AI-generated images a daily reality, Taylor Swift's move to trade mark her voice and stage image marks a pivotal shift from protecting art to protecting identity. By filing for specific audio clips like 'Hey, it's Taylor' and detailed imagery of her performing with a pink guitar, Swift is following a strategy made famous by Matthew McConaughey to create a clear perimeter around her likeness." "Taylor Swift is known for taking protection of her intellectual property rights seriously," adds Iona Silverman, intellectual property & media partner at law firm Freeths. "These most recent trade mark applications show that she's serious about brand control in the age of AI. Trade marks have traditionally protected names, logos and slogans, but we're now seeing them used much more creatively to police misuse of voice and image where copyright or image rights may fall short. As generative AI makes it easier to create convincing imitations, celebrities and brands alike are looking to trade mark law as a practical enforcement tool against increasingly sophisticated digital copies or deepfakes." While Swift's trademark applications may help her to protect her identity, it's not a worldwide shield from AI misuse. "The voice and image trade marks filed by Taylor Swift cover only the US, meaning there are significant gaps in protection in the rest of the world," Iona explains. For more creative insight, check out the new skills creatives are learning to save their jobs from AI or take a look at Taylor Swift's logo battle over a cursive font.

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice, likeness to ward off AI deepfakes

Pop superstar Taylor Swift filed trademark applications for two audio clips and one image of herself in what a trademark attorney said is an attempt to protect her voice and likeness from deepfake videos and audio created by artificial intelligence. The applications were filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office on Friday and list Swift's TAS Rights Management as being the owner of the audio clips and image. A spokesperson for Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, nor did lawyers who were listed on the filings. In one of the audio clips, Swift is heard saying: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." The second clip says: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on October 3 and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." The image Swift is seeking to trademark is of her onstage in a sequined outfit, pink guitar in hand. Swift's image and voice have been used in countless AI-generated deepfakes - from false advertising to fake political endorsements to explicit images. Actor Matthew McConaughey has had similar filings approved. He told the Wall Street Journal in January that "we want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world." Trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first publicized that Swift made the applications on his blog on Monday, wrote that they "are specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence." "While existing 'Right of Publicity' laws offer some protection against unauthorized use of a famous individual's likeness, trademark filings can provide an additional layer of protection," Gerben wrote. Gerben added that registering a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in courts. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music," Gerben wrote. "But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill." Gerben said the photo Swift is seeking to trademark serves a similar purpose. "By protecting a distinctive visual, down to Swift's commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, Swift's team may gain additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness," he wrote.

Taylor Swift applies to trademark her voice and image amid AI concerns | BreakingNews

By Lauren Del Fabbro, Press Association Entertainment Reporter US pop star Taylor Swift has applied to trademark an image of herself as well as her voice, amid growing concerns of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The 36-year-old, known for the hit songs Love Story and Shake It Off, submitted three applications in the US on Friday to trademark her voice and likeness. The applications included an image of herself from the Eras tour, along with two audio clips where she introduced herself while promoting her most recent studio album, The Life Of A Showgirl. The image submitted was used to promote Swift's Disney+ docuseries The End Of An Era, and was described in the court filing as: "Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots. She is standing on a pink stage in front of a multi-coloured microphone with purple lights in the background." One of the audio clips featured the star saying: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" while in the second she says: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album The Life Of A Showgirl is out on October 3 and you can click to pre-save it so you can listen to it on Spotify." Interstellar actor Matthew McConaughey recently told the Wall Street Journal he had trademarked his voice and image to protect himself from any unauthorised use by AI apps. Although protecting sound is not a new concept, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben - who first highlighted the details of the applications on his site GerbenLaw - involving spoken voice through audio clips has not been tested in US courts before. Gerben added that the applications could provide Swift with an "additional layer of protection". He said: "By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are "confusingly similar," a key standard in trademark law. "The image-based filing serves a similar purpose: by protecting a distinctive visual, down to Swift's commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, Swift's team may gain additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness." He said that historically in the US, artists would either use copyright law to protect their music or right of publicity laws to protect their likeness or image, however trademarking Swift's sound and image could increase her protection. He continued: "AI has broken that model. Now, anyone can spin up a version of an artist's voice, have it say anything, attach it to anything and distribute it at scale. "That's where trademarks come in. Trademark law doesn't just stop identical uses (like copyright law): it stops anything that is confusingly similar to the registered trademark. That's a much broader right and more powerful tool in an AI world."

Taylor Swift files to trademark her voice, likeness to ward off AI deepfakes

April 27 (Reuters) - Pop superstar Taylor Swift filed trademark applications for two audio clips and one image of herself in what a trademark attorney said is an attempt to protect her voice and likeness from deepfake videos and audio created by artificial intelligence. The applications were filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Friday and list Swift's TAS Rights Management as being the owner of the audio clips and image. A spokesperson for Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday, nor did lawyers who were listed on the filings. In one of the audio clips, Swift is heard saying: "Hey, it's Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited." The second clip says: "Hey, it's Taylor. My brand new album 'The Life of a Showgirl' is out on October 3 and you can click to presave it so you can listen to it on Spotify." The image Swift is seeking to trademark is of her onstage in a sequined outfit, pink guitar in hand. Swift's image and voice have been used in countless AI-generated deepfakes - from false advertising to fake political endorsements to explicit images. Actor Matthew McConaughey has had similar filings approved. He told the Wall Street Journal in January that "we want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world." Trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first publicized that Swift made the applications on his blog on Monday, wrote that they "are specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence." "While existing 'Right of Publicity' laws offer some protection against unauthorized use of a famous individual's likeness, trademark filings can provide an additional layer of protection," Gerben wrote. Gerben added that registering a celebrity's spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in courts. "Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music," Gerben wrote. "But AI technologies now allow users to generate entirely new content that mimics an artist's voice without copying an existing recording, creating a gap that trademarks may help fill." Gerben said the photo Swift is seeking to trademark serves a similar purpose. "By protecting a distinctive visual, down to Swift's commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, Swift's team may gain additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness," he wrote. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Colorado; Editing by Donna Bryson and Bill Berkrot)