NEW YORK (AFP) – Taylor Swift has applied to the US Intellectual Property Office to trademark her voice, in a move similar to actor Matthew McConaughey’s as AI-generated content proliferates.
The singer submitted two sound recordings to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Each song begins with “Hi, it’s Taylor,” and announces the release of her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which was released in early October.
Another document submitted to the USPTO on Friday was a photo of the artist on stage. The filing was first discovered by intellectual property attorney Josh Garben.
The filing does not provide any details regarding the submission.
A Taylor Swift spokesperson did not immediately respond to AFP’s request.
In recent years, McConaughey has been filing applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect against unauthorized use of his voice by AI models.
They include audio of him saying, “Okay, okay, okay!” – his memorable line from the 1993 film “Dazed and Confused” – followed by an additional short phrase with a voice of him saying, “Just keep living, okay?”
Advances in AI models now allow us to synthesize audio from short clips in seconds, whereas just a few years ago this process required lengthy recordings and days.
Many artists are increasingly concerned about their images and voices being used unchecked by AI platforms.
Several US states have enacted laws prohibiting such use, many of which apply primarily to malicious or commercial abuse.
There are only a few laws that provide broader protections, particularly the ELVIS Act passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2024.
Few performers have gone to court to assert their rights.
The most notable example is Scarlett Johansson, who sued the app Lisa AI in 2023 for creating an AI avatar resembling her without her consent for use in advertisements.
