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

Global pop star Taylor Swift has taken proactive legal steps to safeguard her identity against the increasing misuse of artificial intelligence technologies. On April 24, 2024, Swift’s company, TAS Rights Management, filed three trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), aiming to extend legal protections over her voice and likeness.

Two of the trademark filings focus on sound marks linked to Swift’s voice, specifically the phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” These filings seek to establish exclusive rights over these vocal signatures, which are closely associated with the artist.

The third application covers a detailed visual trademark. It describes a photograph of Taylor Swift holding a pink guitar with a black strap, wearing a multi-colored iridescent bodysuit paired with silver boots. In the image, she stands on a pink stage before a multi-colored microphone, with purple lights illuminating the background. This visual trademark aims to protect her distinctive stage appearance.

Intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben IP first identified these filings and noted that such measures reflect growing concern within the entertainment industry about AI’s capacity to replicate artists’ voices and images without consent. Traditionally, trademark law has not been designed to protect an individual’s general voice or likeness. However, this emerging strategy, also adopted by actor Matthew McConaughey, seeks to create additional legal avenues beyond conventional right-of-publicity claims.

Trademark infringement cases can be brought in federal court, which may offer broader enforcement capabilities compared to state-level protections typically available under publicity rights. McConaughey’s legal team previously secured similar protections in 2025, including a sound trademark for his iconic phrase “Alright, alright, alright!”

Swift’s decision follows multiple reported instances where her likeness has been used without authorization, including AI-generated content circulating on social media and explicit deepfake videos online. Notably, during the 2024 US presidential election cycle, AI-generated images falsely suggested that Swift endorsed Donald Trump, raising significant concerns about misinformation and unauthorized use of her persona.

Legal experts supporting this trademark approach argue it provides artists with “an additional legal arrow in their quiver” when challenging unauthorized AI-generated replicas. Gerben explained in a blog post that if a lawsuit were filed over AI usage of Swift’s voice, she could claim that any use sounding like the registered trademark infringes her trademark rights. Similarly, the visual trademark filing could strengthen claims against manipulated images.

While this legal strategy remains largely untested in courts specifically concerning AI-generated content, it could enable artists to issue takedown requests against platforms in a manner akin to copyright enforcement. Gerben summarized the significance by stating, “Ultimately, Taylor Swift and Matthew McConaughey’s recent trademark filings are testing new theories on how trademark law will work in the AI age.”