Taylor Swift has filed applications with the US intellectual property office to register her voice, similar to the move made by actor Matthew McConaughey, as AI-generated content rises.
Taylor Swift has trademarked her voice
The singer submitted two sound recordings to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Two are for the soundtracks that cover her voice: one is “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” and the other is “Hey, it’s Taylor,” announcing the release of her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which was released in early October.This comes shortly after Swift’s likeness has been used in a number of fake AIs without permission, including Meta’s AI chatbots and pornographic images that have spread across the internet. In addition, in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election, Donald Trump shared AI-generated images of the singer accurately suggesting Swift endorsed Trump.Another document submitted to the USPTO on Friday was a photo of the artist on stage. Intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben viewed the submissions.The files do not provide further details about the presentation.Taylor Swift’s publicist and representatives and Rebecca Liebowitz, a partner at the law firm Venable, which is listed in the trademark applications, have so far declined to comment.Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey has filed an application with the USPTO in recent years to protect against the unauthorized use of his voice by AI models. “Okay, okay, okay!” they include the audio that says – His memorable line from the 1993 film ‘Dazed and Confused’ – “Just livin livin’, huh?” he said along with the audio. followed by additional short sentences.
Indian celebrities provided protection against unauthorized use of AI
Many artists are increasingly concerned about the uncontrolled use of their image and voice by AI platforms.Several famous Indian celebrities have taken legal and precautionary measures to protect their identities and publicity rights amid growing concerns about misuse, including AI-powered voice cloning.Playback legends Kumar Sanu and Asha Bhosle were among those seeking protection against unauthorized AI voice cloning that mimics their distinctive singing styles.the actor Anil Kapoor In 2023 he obtained a “broad injunction” protecting his voice, likeness, image and even the catchphrase ‘Jhakaas’ from unauthorized commercial use.Also, Amitabh Bachchan He approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection against unauthorized commercial exploitation of his name, image and voice. The court ruled that the actor’s name, image and voice cannot be used without permission and ordered the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, along with telecom service providers, to remove the flagged content. “It cannot seriously be disputed that the plaintiff is a well-known figure and has been represented in various advertisements,” said Judge Navin Chawla, who said the actor is “harmed” by those who use his celebrity status to promote goods and services without permission.Recently, the Delhi High Court granted an interim injunction in favor of Allu Arjun, restraining various parties from using his name, image, voice or likeness without permission, thereby strengthening the legal recognition of personality rights.Several US states have passed laws prohibiting such use, although many apply primarily to malicious or commercial exploitation.Only a few — notably the ELVIS Act passed by the Tennessee state legislature in 2024 — offer broader protections.Few performers have gone to court to assert their rights. The most notable example is Scarlett Johansson, who in 2023 sued the AI ​​app Lisa for creating an AI avatar that looked like her for use in an ad without her consent.
