In a strategic legal move to safeguard her voice and image from artificial intelligence misuse, Taylor Swift has filed trademark applications through her company, TAS Rights Management. As reported by Variety, the filings were submitted on Friday to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Two of these are sound trademarks for the phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor,” while a third is a visual trademark for an image depicting Swift performing live.
This action follows several incidents where AI-generated fakes have targeted her. Kirk Sigmon, founding partner at KellDann Law, explained to Decrypt that trademarks can protect distinctive sounds, visuals, and the name, image, and likeness of an individual when associated with goods or services. He noted that Swift’s use of trademark law is standard but unique in its focus on AI misuse prevention.
These efforts are also intended to guard against identifiable actors using AI to falsely imply Swift’s endorsement of products or services. In 2024, former presidential candidate Donald Trump circulated fabricated images on Truth Social suggesting Swift and her fans supported his campaign, prompting her public endorsement of Kamala Harris for president. The following year, Elon Musk’s xAI faced criticism when Grok produced nude images of Swift, violating the company’s policy against such depictions.
Despite these proactive measures, enforcing rights online remains challenging due to anonymous content creators, as Sigmon pointed out. This strategy mirrors an earlier move by actor Matthew McConaughey, who obtained trademarks for his signature phrase from “Dazed and Confused” in January.
Although trademark law has not yet been used to protect a person’s general likeness or persona in court, legal experts recognize these filings as indicative of rising concerns over AI tools that replicate artists without consent. However, Swift’s high profile could be beneficial in obtaining trademark approval.
Sigmon remarked on Swift’s recognizable attributes such as her voice and image, suggesting while distinctiveness might be debated, it is unlikely to prevent the trademark approval. Her name, image, and likeness are likely easily linked with goods or services like music and fan merchandise.