Recommendations of the Editorial team
Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications for her voice and appearance – amid ongoing concerns in the entertainment industry about the rise of artificial intelligence and the potential misuse of the rapidly evolving technology.
Swift’s company TAS Rights Management filed three applications with the US Patent & Trademark Office on Friday (April 24). One concerns an image of the singer during the Eras Tour, the other two are soundmarks for the phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” (The filings were first made public by intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben.)
A spokeswoman for Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Role model Matthew McConaughey
Swift is following the example of actor Matthew McConaughey, who has filed eight similar trademarks in recent months to protect his famous Texas accent and appearance. McConaughey’s lawyers filed motions that would impeach the Oscar winner for his iconic line “alright, alright, alright!” from the 1993 comedy “Dazed and Confused” – as well as a direct look into the camera.
In many US states, celebrities are protected by so-called “right of publicity” laws, which prohibit unauthorized use of their name or likeness. As Gerben noted in his blog post on Swift’s registrations, trademark registration could “provide an additional layer of protection” – especially because there is still no robust legal framework for dealing with AI misuse. (The NO FAKES Act, which aims to protect people’s voices and visual representations from AI-powered exploitation, was introduced in Congress several years ago but remains in committee.)
As one of the world’s biggest music stars with an international fan base, Swift has already faced particularly disturbing forms of AI abuse. In early 2024, social media platform X temporarily blocked searches for her name after AI-generated explicit images of Swift began circulating.
Trump’s unauthorized use of images
That same year, Donald Trump shared AI-generated images that made it appear that Swift was supporting his campaign ahead of the 2024 presidential election – after which she publicly spoke out against the use of her appearance without her consent.
“It really stoked my fears about AI and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” Swift wrote on Instagram as she endorsed Kamala Harris for president. “It made me realize that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The easiest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”
