Taylor Swift Seeks Trademark Protection for Voice and Image to Combat AI Exploitation

Taylor Swift has initiated a new legal strategy to protect her identity against potential misuse by artificial intelligence technologies. On Friday, the globally renowned singer-songwriter submitted three trademark applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Two of the applications are for sound trademarks. One covers the phrase “Hey, It’s Taylor Swift,” while the other protects the phrase “Hey, It’s Taylor.” These sound marks aim to secure the distinctive vocal expressions associated with Swift.

The third application is a visual trademark. It covers a specific photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar with a black strap, dressed in a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit paired with silver boots. In the image, she stands on a pink stage in front of a multi-colored microphone, with purple lights illuminating the background.

These filings, first identified by intellectual property specialist Gerben IP, were submitted through TAS Management and the law firm Venable LLP, with attorney Rebecca Liebowitz listed as counsel.

Historically, singers have relied primarily on copyright law to protect their recorded music. However, the rise of AI-generated content presents new challenges, as AI can create entirely new material that mimics an artist’s voice without directly copying existing recordings.

Intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben explained in a blog post that by registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could challenge not only exact reproductions but also imitations that are “confusingly similar,” a key standard in trademark law. He noted, “Theoretically, if a lawsuit were to be filed over an AI using Swift’s voice, she could claim that any use of her voice that sounds like the registered trademark violates her trademark rights.”

Gerben further highlighted the significance of the visual trademark, stating that protecting a distinctive image, down to Swift’s commonly worn jumpsuit and pose, could provide additional grounds to pursue claims against manipulated or AI-generated images that evoke her likeness.

Swift’s trademark applications follow a similar legal approach taken by actor Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey recently told The Wall Street Journal that he aims to “create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world.”

McConaughey’s trademarks include a seven-second video clip of him standing on a porch, a three-second clip of him sitting in front of a Christmas tree, and an audio recording of him saying “Alright, alright, alright” from the 1993 film "Dazed and Confused."

Gerben observed that these recent filings by Swift and McConaughey are testing new legal theories on how trademark law can be applied in the age of artificial intelligence.

Attempts to reach attorney Rebecca Liebowitz for comment on Swift’s trademark applications were not immediately successful.