Pop icon Taylor Swift has taken steps to safeguard her voice and image from deepfake technologies by filing trademark applications for two audio clips and a photo of herself, as explained by a trademark lawyer.
The application, submitted on Friday to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, designates Swift’s TAS Rights Management as the entity overseeing these clips and images.
A representative for Swift did not provide a comment on Monday, nor did an attorney mentioned in the application.
One audio clip features Swift saying, “Hi, I’m Taylor Swift. My new album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ is available on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited.”
The second clip includes her stating, “Hi, I’m Taylor. My new album ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ is coming out on October 3rd. Click to save to listen on Spotify.”
The photo that Swift is seeking to trademark depicts her performing on stage in a sequined outfit, holding a pink guitar.
Swift’s likeness and voice have been seen in numerous AI-generated deepfakes, which range from misleading advertisements to counterfeit political endorsements and even explicit content.
Similarly, actor Matthew McConaughey also received approval for a trademark application. He noted the importance of establishing clear boundaries around ownership, consent, and attribution in the age of AI.
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben highlighted Swift’s filings on his blog, noting they aim to protect the artist from threats linked to artificial intelligence.
Although current ‘right of publicity’ laws offer some defense against unauthorized use of a celebrity’s likeness, Gerben argued that a trademark application can add another layer of security.
He further mentioned that registering the voices of celebrities is a novel application of trademark law and has yet to be tested in court.
Traditionally, artists have relied on copyright laws to protect their music; however, AI’s capability to create new content that resembles an artist’s voice poses unique challenges. Gerben suggested that trademarks might help bridge this gap.
Regarding the image, Gerben stated that trademarking it would serve a similar defensive role.
“Securing Swift’s signature visuals—whether it’s the outfits she wears or her iconic poses—could provide her team with additional grounds to take action against manipulated and AI-generated imagery that replicates her likeness,” he remarked.
