Taylor Swift has moved to protect her likeness and voice from artificial intelligence spoofing by filing trademark applications covering both audio and image, according to The Guardian and The Wrap. The filings, made on April 24 by TAS Rights Management, include two sound marks for the phrases "Hey, it’s Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it’s Taylor", alongside a visual mark for a photograph of Swift holding a pink guitar.

The strategy reflects a broader push by public figures to wrest some control back from AI systems that can recreate a celebrity’s voice or appearance with little effort and, in many jurisdictions, limited legal recourse. Reuters-style reporting has increasingly highlighted the gap between existing intellectual property law and the speed at which synthetic media has spread across social platforms, where convincing deepfakes can be shared before complaints or takedowns can keep pace.

According to The Guardian, Swift’s move follows a similar effort by actor Matthew McConaughey, who has also sought trademark protection for his voice and image to prevent unauthorised AI use. TBS News reported that some of McConaughey’s applications have already been approved, including protection for his familiar catchphrase "All right, all right, all right", underscoring how trademark law is becoming a practical tool for celebrities confronting non-consensual AI content.

The wider significance is not just about one singer’s brand. Swift has long been one of the music industry’s most forceful advocates for artist control, from her fight over master recordings to her recent response to the rise of AI-generated covers and deepfakes. Her latest filings suggest that performers are no longer treating voice and image as merely promotional assets, but as rights that may need to be actively ring-fenced in the age of synthetic media.

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Source: Noah Wire Services