Taylor Swift Moves to Trademark Voice, Likeness in Legal Bid to Counter AI Deepfakes and Unauthorised Digital Impersonation

Pop superstar Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications covering two audio clips and one image of herself, in what appears to be a strategic effort to protect her voice and likeness from artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.

The applications were submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Friday, listing Swift’s TAS Rights Management as the owner of the audio recordings and image. Representatives for the singer did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did the lawyers named in 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.” A second clip features her promoting the same album’s release and pre-save option on Spotify.

The image included in the application depicts Swift performing on stage in a sequined outfit, holding a pink guitar.

Swift’s voice and likeness have been widely replicated in AI-generated deepfakes in recent years, ranging from misleading advertisements and fabricated political endorsements to explicit imagery.

Actor Matthew McConaughey has previously secured approval for similar filings. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal in January, he said the aim was to establish “a clear perimeter around ownership, with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world”.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first disclosed Swift’s applications on his blog, said the filings were “specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence”.

While existing “right of publicity” laws offer some protection against the unauthorised use of a public figure’s identity, he noted that trademark registrations could provide an additional legal safeguard.

Gerben added that registering a celebrity’s spoken voice represents a relatively new and largely untested application of trademark law.

“Historically, singers relied on copyright law to protect their recorded music,” he wrote. “However, 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.”

He said the image Swift is seeking to trademark serves a similar purpose, potentially enabling her team to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated visuals that closely evoke her distinctive appearance and stage persona.

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