Taylor Swift has applied to trademark her voice and image in a bid to combat misuse by developers of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Last week, lawyers acting on behalf of the music superstar lodged three applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
One filing relates to a specific photograph of Taylor in which she is depicted holding a pink guitar and wearing an iridescent bodysuit with silver boots onstage amid one of her concerts during The Eras Tour.
The other two applications are audio clips of her saying, “Hey, it’s Taylor” and “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift”.
The Opalite hitmaker recorded the words while promoting her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, last year.
Taylor’s company, TAS Rights Management, is listed as the owner.
Representatives for the 36-year-old have not yet commented on the move.
But trademark attorney Josh Gerben, who first reported the applications via his blog, has explained that the filings appear to be “specifically designed to protect Taylor from threats posed by artificial intelligence”.
“The filings arrive as AI-generated content continues to create problems in the entertainment industry. Musicians and actors have increasingly found their voices and images used in unauthorized videos, songs, and digital content that is created by AI and circulated online,” he wrote. “While existing right of ‘Right of Publicity’ laws offer some protection against unauthorized use of a famous individual’s likeness, trademark filings can provide an additional layer of protection.”
Taylor isn’t the only A-list celebrity to make an attempt to protect her likeness from online impersonators.
In January, lawyers for Matthew McConaughey confirmed they had been granted eight trademarks related to his voice and likeness.
Among the applications was a “sound mark” for the Oscar-winning actor’s catchphrase “Alright, alright, alright!” – the line he famously uttered in the 1993 comedy film Dazed and Confused.
