Taylor Swift Trademarks Voice And Image To Curb AI Deepfakes
TAS Rights Management filed three U.S. Patent & Trademark Office applications covering two spoken phrases and a stage photograph as a legal response to AI deepfake concerns, experts said.
The VergeTaylor Swift is stepping up the legal war on AI copycats
GizmodoThere Will be No Taylor Swift, AI Version... if She Has Anything to Say About It
PBS NewsHourTaylor Swift files new trademark applications. One expert says it is to curb AI threats
CBS NewsTaylor Swift files to trademark her voice and image amid rise in AI deepfakes
Overview
TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, and all three have been approved and are awaiting assignment to an examining attorney.
Two sound trademarks cover Swift saying 'Hey, it's Taylor Swift' and 'Hey, it's Taylor,' and the third covers a stage photo of her holding a pink guitar while wearing a multicolored iridescent bodysuit.
Intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben noted such filings could combat AI-generated deepfakes and said he expects similar filings, and Rebecca Liebowitz is listed as the attorney on the applications.
Swift has been the target of pornographic deepfake images and an AI-generated fake endorsement during the 2024 presidential campaign, incidents cited in coverage as motivation for protections.
Experts said trademarks are a legal tool but untested against sophisticated AI, with Alexandra Roberts expressing skepticism and Xiyin Tang saying registrations may deter unsophisticated infringers, and Tennessee has a law addressing AI-generated voice copycats.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting rather than editorializing. They report trademark filings, note legal uncertainty and similar celebrity actions (McConaughey, Midler), and avoid loaded terms or selective omission. The emphasis is on legal context and precedent rather than advocacy for any outcome.