Taylor Swift Files to Trademark Voice and Image in Bid to Combat AI Deepfakes
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 — joining a growing trend of celebrities seeking legal tools to combat the proliferation of AI-generated forgeries.
Trademark Application Details
Swift’s three applications include:
Image Trademark: Using a photo of herself on stage during her Eras Tour, “holding a pink guitar, with a black strap and wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit with silver boots.” This image was previously used as one of the official promotional photos for the Disney+ film of the Eras Tour.
Voice Trademark (First): Registering audio of herself saying “Hey, it’s Taylor” from clips she recorded for Spotify and Amazon Music to promote her album The Life of a Showgirl last autumn.
Voice Trademark (Second): Registering another audio clip saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift.”
Legal Significance
Trademark lawyer Josh Gerben, who first published details of the applications on his blog, noted that even if the photos and sound clips aren’t copied directly, registering their trademarks could allow Swift to stop AI from using her image and voice more broadly.
“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,” Gerben wrote.
He further explained: “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.”
Background of AI Misuse
In recent years, Swift has repeatedly fallen victim to AI deepfakes:
- AI-Generated Explicit Images: Forged AI-generated images have spread widely online.
- Fake Political Ads: A fabricated AI ad appeared to show Swift urging people to vote for Donald Trump — a stance she never actually took.
An Emerging Trend
Swift’s move follows actor Matthew McConaughey, who earlier this year became the first celebrity to use trademark rules to protect his voice and image from AI misuse.
This trend indicates that celebrities are seeking innovative legal approaches as AI generation technology advances rapidly. Traditional portrait rights and copyright protections often fall short when dealing with AI-generated “similar but not identical” content, while trademark registration offers a new avenue.
Meanwhile, the music industry is also stepping up its crackdown on AI deepfakes. Sony previously removed 135,000 suspected “deepfake” tracks from its platform, reflecting the challenges facing the entire industry.
Source: BBC News