Taylor Swift, one of the most recognizable names in entertainment, is moving to protect her world-famous image and voice.
The pop superstar filed three trademark applications on April 24, each attempting to protect the likeness of Swift as questions continue to swirl around how artificial intelligence will respect artistic brands.
The applications, filed individually, look to trademark two voice clips and one image of Swift. In the voice clips, Swift is heard saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” The image shows Swift playing a guitar mid-concert during the Eras Tour.
Josh Gerben, a prominent trademark attorney, explained the ramifications of the trademark applications on ABC’s Good Morning America Tuesday.
“By filing a trademark application that contains her voice … Taylor’s lawyers could then make claims that anything that sounds like her voice is a violation of her trademark rights,” Gerben said.
Swift has been recreated in AI form in several instances over the years, which have then been shared online. In one instance, President Donald Trump, while campaigning for his second term in August 2024, reshared on his social media platform one AI-generated image of Swift and others appearing to show her fans falsely endorsing him.
In response, Swift posted on Instagram at the time, “Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation.”
In early 2024, fake sexually explicit AI-generated images of Swift made rounds on social media, prompting then-White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to tell ABC News the Biden administration was “alarmed” by what happened to Swift online and that Congress “should take legislative action.”
The trademark filing is not unique among high-profile entertainers. Actor Matthew McConaughey recently filed a trademark to protect his likeness, including his famous phrase “Alright, Alright, Alright.”
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